


For better or for worse

by Kammyh



Category: Doctor Who, Doctor Who (1963)
Genre: Alternative Timeline, Arranged Marriage, Arranged trials, Drama & Romance, F/M, Fluff and Humor, Friends to Lovers, Friendship, M/M, Not Beta Read, Technobabble, Thoschei
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-15
Updated: 2018-08-29
Packaged: 2019-06-27 14:56:33
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 37,014
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15687708
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kammyh/pseuds/Kammyh
Summary: The Doctor and the Master’s shenanigans have gone an inch too far, therefore some extreme measures have to be put in place. Thinking that it was damn good time this happened, the rest of the Deca decides to help





	1. Windswept to the Doll's house

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who, no copyright infringement intended. If you still want to sue, well, let’s discuss priorities, shall we? English is not my native language, any constructive criticism is appreciated.
> 
> Warning: My attempts to finish off the old series of Doctor Who didn’t get along with my wish that there was more about Third and Master. I eventually stumbled across the novel ‘Divided loyalties’, which just managed to make me also like the Deca. Hence this story was born. You don’t really need to have read the novel, since I’m basically blowing away whatever will happen after the Third Doctor and the premises here are different, mostly because I needed tons of fluff. Besides, I’m taking many liberties as far as I know. 
> 
> Story inspired by an image I found on the internet by Halorvic (sorry, I don’t have Tumblr so couldn't find any better reference to link) in which there was the following lines of dialogue:  
> Third Doctor: Do you ever think about how much better it would be if we just stopped fighting?  
> Master: Yes. That’s why I keep proposing that we join forces. You’re the one who insists on being difficult  
> Third Doctor: I’m told that most lasting relationships don’t involve one party trying to kill the other
> 
> A/N: Rejoice, I managed to write about 30k without adding any porn (you will still find it in the last chapter)

“Master!” The Doctor yelled with all the breath he had left in his lungs, attempting to overcome the deafening noise of the wind madly blowing all around them. “If you were supposed to have the stupidest idea ever, this one certainly will account for it!”

“May be” The Master countered irately, grasping desperately the green grass under himself as he crouched down not to be blown away. “But it would never be as stupid as yours”

“My idea!?” The Doctor yelled back, attempting to free himself from his own mantle, flowing like crazy all around him, as he did his best to reach for the Master’s arm and kneel down at his side. “ _You_ were the one who decided to use Coveurilian day-of-doom weapons to hijack the national meteorological station!”

A stronger blaze of wind made the Doctor lose his equilibrium, and he fell face flat over the wet grass of the garden around the station. The Master stared at him with concern at first, then he attempted to manoeuvre him back to a kneeling position so that he could face him, both hands holding tight the Doctor’s shoulders for support.

“Well” He countered matter-of-factly. “ _I_ wasn’t the one inverting the polarity of the electromagnetic field!”

“And _I_ wasn’t the one who mounted the stabilizing ionizer backwards!”

“It was supposed to balance the anti-gravitational cooling system”

“Wait” The Doctor interrupted the banter, surprised at the news. “What did you need an anti-gravitational cooling system for?”

“For the nuclear powered generator of the doomsday weapon” The Master explained quietly, his brown eyes staring proudly back at his friend as his eyebrows rose in challenge and his smart and satisfied smirk grew larger on his lips.

“I thought you had deactivated it!” The Doctor complained heatedly, the tone of his voice accusing yet dejected at the notion that he had guessed it all wrong. “You weren’t seriously thinking to go through with that plan, were you?”

“It was to give the whole ordeal a touch of realism!” The Master admitted grudgingly, irritated knowing that the Doctor had actually seen through his plan that much. “It still put the wind stabilizer out of sync when you opened the vault door”

“You had Jo trapped inside it!” The Doctor pointed out, the pitch of his voice rising in outrage. “If you didn’t want me to open it, you shouldn’t have put her there!”

“There was a back exit.”

“How was I supposed to know?!”

“If you had gone through the security like any sensible Time Lord would do instead of blazing inside the station with your army friend on that bloody canary, you would have noticed it!” The Master eventually began yelling back at the Doctor, annoyed at his best friend’s idiocy as well as attempting to be heard better over the roaring wind.

“Don’t talk like that about Bessy, she's a gorgeous ride!” The Doctor countered petulantly, pouting in mild offence. “And if you elaborated less dangerously complicated plans, it wouldn’t always turn out like this!”

“Would you like better easy and deadly plans?” The Master pointed out evenly, closing the space between their faces a bit more not to shout once again.

The Doctor at that point had finally ran out of protests of his own.

“What are we going to do, then?” The Doctor asked seriously, as he desperately grasped the Master’s upper arms for dear life.

As to pin point how urgent the matter was, a concrete panel detached from the station roof and started floating randomly above them as it was thin paper.

“Perhaps, if we went back inside, we could attempt to power out the machine or whatever set the whole thing on a frenzy...” The Master proposed unsurely, attempting to turn behind himself to assess the situation of the station but failing miserably at it because of the wind strength.

“Are you out of your mind?” The Doctor countered. “The wind pressure inside is even worse than out here!”

Right that moment, a bar of steel came flying in their direction from the meteorological station, pointing straight towards the Master’s back.

“Watch out!” The Doctor yelled, as he grabbed the Master tighter and rolled them some feet away from immediate danger.

A loud noise was heard not too far from them and, as the Master turned to stare at where they had been few seconds before, he could only register the tube of steel piercing through the ground.

“Thanks” He murmured nervously. “That would have hurt”

“We’re still stuck, though” The Doctor wailed, as he tried to free himself from his mantle that had now enveloped both of them, tightening the two Time Lords close together.

The Master simply rolled his eyes at his friend’s unsuccessful efforts and sat up fiercely, bringing up with him the Doctor too. With quick and well-coordinated movements of arms and shoulders, in reasonable time they were once again two separate beings. The Doctor’s mantle, however, just kept floating madly behind the fair-haired Time Lord.

“You should leave it, Doctor” The Master suggested, his voice dripping with warm affection despite his better judgement. “And listen to me, outside out-powering it I see no other options for us to get out of this mess unscathed”

“Let’s try to work out something from the outside, then” The Doctor reasoned, as they grasped on one another to attempt a standing position and walk back towards the station.

They had not moved a foot towards their aim, that the structure blasted open, his walls falling miserably on the ground like the ones of a dollhouse. From the ruins of it, a tall menacing hurricane stormed out, the machine that was controlling it and its power source were safely enclosed in its eye.

The Doctor and the Master had no time to worry about that, though, since the hurricane started moving resolutely in their direction, its suckling energy pulling them and everything else towards it inexorably. Both Time Lords held tight on one another and closed tightly their eyes, certain that the end was about to come.

Nevertheless, nothing happened.

Even before they opened their eyes, they knew that this could only mean that they had better just being dead.

They dared to watch what was actually happening around them only when they heard Jo’s desperate cries from the entrance of the garden, asking them whether they were fine.

Surprisingly, they had to say that they were.

As they stared at the station, they could still see the menacing hurricane that was supposed to have killed them but it now appeared frozen still.

“A time bind” The Doctor recognised, his stomach sinking at the realization.

The steel pipe that had pierced the ground near them before throbbed and shacked until it freed itself from the earth and flew back towards the meteorological station. The hurricane subsequently began rotating backwards and slowly the dropped walls and the floating concrete roof – that had just stood fixed in mid-air until then - moved back to its original location.

“A time reversal emergency procedure” The Master deadpanned, his hearts starting to beat faster in fear.

“Where’s your TARDIS?” The Doctor asked, each second paler than before.

“The woods. About a mile from here” Came the immediate answer.

“We’ll never make it” The Doctor realized, his big scared eyes staring back at the Master’s for the first time since they had decided to disentangle and assess the situation.

The concrete roof in the meanwhile landed graciously over the rest of the structure with a loud clank and the Master concluded that they had absolutely no more time to waste.

“We’ll try anyhow!” He yelled back at his friend as he grabbed the Doctor’s wrist and both of them ran for their life towards the station side gate in front of the shocked stare of Jo, who had just reached them to check if they were fine.

As the Doctor had guessed, they didn’t even manage to exit the perimeter of the station garden that they were rebounded by an invisible wall, that made the Doctor falling backwards ungraciously on the ground and the Master landing half on the ground and half on the Doctor, since he still stubbornly wouldn’t let go of his friend’s wrist.

As they stared in front of themselves, they noticed two people coming towards them, both clad in black tunics over which red intricately decorated robes swayed open around them. When their face started becoming visible, both the Doctor and the Master attempted to move backwards, but both of them just found themselves pinned down on the grass, just as if the gravity had been increased only where they laid. Something that probably was entirely true.

Not knowing what else to do, the Doctor held tight to the Master, who welcomed the hug and grabbed the Doctor’s arm for reciprocate support.

To complicate the matter, from behind them Jo and the Brigadier came in a rush, more curious to understand what was happening than willing to apprehend the Master.

“Doctor, what-” Jo attempted to ask, before noticing the two highly irate shadows stalking towards them. “Who are they?”

Instead of answering, both the Doctor and the Master attempted to resist the gravity pinning them down to sit up and escape, only succeeding in straining their muscles more than they already were after their daily self-inflicted adventure.

“What the-” The Brigadier asked, seeing them just lying there and grimacing in pain. He tried to reach out his arm to place a worried hand on the Doctor’s shoulder, but he had to retract his hand immediately as it touched halfway something frizzling like electricity that seemed running all around the two wailing Time Lords.

“Force field, humans” Explained one of the newcomers, now very few feet away.

Now that they were near, it was also quite visible on their neck a rather large golden pendant intricately yet differently decorated. The one walking top front had short dark hair, deep blue eyes glaring in pure anger and disgust at all the other people in front of him, and featured a beard not so different from the Master’s. The one coming a few feet behind him, the same who had just spoken to the Brigadier, had instead dark blond hair, light blue eyes and looked more sad and disappointed than irate like his companion.

“You’re a disappointment” The dark haired newcomer snarled, staring down disapprovingly at the Master and shaking his head gravely, his lips pursed in a sneer.

The Master glared back at him but said nothing, he only held tighter to the Doctor defiantly.

“Nothing to say on your behalf?” The blond stranger questioned the Doctor, who simply lowered his head in defeat and drew closer to his friend to partially hide behind him.

“You should be glad, Doctor” The Master pointed out acidly, as he stared at the Time Lord that had questioned him with pure hate, blatantly ignoring the one who had just addressed his friend. “You’re not considered a disappointment”

The Doctor knew too well that the Master’s words meant to reassure him more than criticize the two Time Lords, something that his friend would never do this openly, and welcomed it gladly. Unfortunately, he couldn’t say that his friend was quite right in his assumptions.

“It’s not really required to say it aloud, isn’t it?” The Doctor countered, staring once again back at the blond Time Lord, this time with eyes full of sadness and proud defiance.

“This thing has to stop” The blond stranger countered heatedly, staring at the Doctor with determination now that he had dared to speak up to his scolding. “You were already being punished for interfering and wreaking havoc around the universe and _this_ is what you end up doing? Do you really want the High Council of the Time Lords to strip you of all your regenerations?”

“Like _you_ would care!” The Doctor yelled back at him in irritation at him being right since he was not really in the position to contest the accusations.

“Stop behaving like a child!”

“They can’t stop behaving like children when children is what they are” The dark haired newcomer took his chance to point out, staring menacingly down at the Master as he saw with satisfaction the implied reprimand sink in. “Mischievous children, behaving like they never came of age. Not even the Academy could discipline them and make them useful”

“We are not children just because we want to see what there’s outside Gallifrey!” The Master protested eventually. “Your rules are blatant idiocies and your ways boring!”

“What would you know?” The other Time Lord pointed out, not showing an inch of compassion on his face. “You escaped not only your planet but also justice. _You_ are _worse_ than a meddling renegade like your friend, _you_ ’re a common criminal”

Those words stung worse than the Master wished them to. The Doctor took immediate notice of what was happening and he tightened the hold he had on his friend, taking his chance to steal more than just a few glances in the direction of the dark haired Time Lord who kept addressing his friend.

“That’s cruel to say to him” The Doctor protested weakly, his voice almost a murmur as he addressed the dark haired stranger. “It’s not really all the Master’s fault”

The blond stranger rose a surprised and curious eyebrow at the Doctor. “This isn’t really what you keep telling to the CIA, the Council and basically everyone you encounter during your travels”

“The Master and I have our disagreements, this doesn’t really imply I mean each and every insult I throw at him”

“How kind of you, my dear” The Master drawled back at him, rolling his eyes in disappointment.

“Like you really mean everything you keep say about me”

“I thought better of you too” The dark haired reprimanded the Doctor before the Master could answer his friend, his voice more sad this time than cold and enraged as it had been whenever he addressed the Master. “I allowed you at our home hoping that you would be something of a decent influence to him… Unfortunately, it _still_ wasn’t enough to erase the shame of someone so frail that he couldn’t even manage to stay sane after a small task was required of him”

“And why would you think this, I might add” The blond stranger took his chance to add in a deadpan, his reproachful glare never leaving the Doctor. “He run in fear from that same task”

Deep silence followed, as the older Time Lords let their scolding sink in. Both the Doctor and the Master seemed to have more than just accused the stray hits and both seemed to be holding back tears only by sheer will.

Seeing the shocking scene in front of them, Jo and the Brigadier didn’t know what to say, but they felt the need to at least attempt giving their friends some leeway.

“I do beg your pardon” The Brigadier questioned the two newcomers eventually. “But who are you?”

“Our fathers” The Doctor and the Master answered at the same time, their submissive tone welcomed with pure satisfaction by the two older Time Lords.

The Brigadier was so shocked by the news that couldn’t think promptly to a proper counter-topic, leading the two newcomers to take again the reins of the conversation.

“Yes, and it’s good you that remember who we are clearly, because as your fathers we bring you a proposition” The Master’s father stated plainly, allowing himself a satisfied smirk. “It’s not something I would have agreed upon under any other circumstances, but this solution might actually bring more good than harm. Would you imagine that?”

The Doctor and the Master stared back at their fathers deeply in shock, now honestly fearing for their safety.

“We have no intention to come to any agreement” The Master countered eventually, his voice way less menacing than he intended it to be.

“I agree with the Master. Besides, I’m already being punished: why should I accept something that we certainly are not going to like?” The Doctor added.

“Our proposal would override your current punishment” The Doctor’s father explained almost kindly, sounding like he was talking to an extremely ill-behaved child. “Moreover, you need to understand that it’s something the whole planet has agreed on, you can’t say no that easily”

Hearing those words, pure dread descended over the Master and the Doctor, who felt impossible even to breathe regularly.

“You should both be glad to accept. You will maintain your full freedom, no more exile and no prison” The Doctor’s father concluded with mirth, his own eyes now glistening with malice.

“Indeed, we came to the conclusion that even though you are absolutely incapable of proper behaviour, you’re also too smart to be held hostages against your own free will.” The Master’s father added in annoyance.

“Where’s the catch, then?” The Doctor asked suspiciously, rising an eyebrow to his father.

“You will need to get married” The other Time Lord answered plainly, looking down challengingly at his son.

“Oh, please! Not again!” The Doctor protested heatedly, his tone holding the petulance and annoyance one would associate to a teenager. “Again a random girl for the good of the family? What’s the point?”

“I am against it, too” The Master came to the Doctor’s rescue, panic written in his voice despite his attempt to sound menacing to their fathers. “There’s no way that being married to someone we never met can finally make us repent or whatever we are supposed to do in your confused minds”

“I think you misunderstood my words, children” The Doctor’s father paternally interrupted their charade. “We are proposing you to marry one another”

Both the Doctor and the Master froze still, their eyes staring at their fathers as they processed the request. Long minutes passed before finally the Master dared to speak.

“ _You_ ” He asked to his father, still deeply in shock and not really knowing how to put his confused feelings in words. “ _You_ really would allow someone like the Doctor to _marry_ in the House of Oakdown? You didn’t even want me to bring him home during the holidays”

“Still, I always allowed you” The Master’s father countered plainly. “Besides, I already told you, the benefits seem to be more valuable than the risks”

“And what would those benefits entail?” The Doctor asked suspiciously, his eyes glaring alternatively to his father and the Master’s.

“Peace and quiet for the universe, a respectable marriage into a rich and powerful family” The Doctor’s father started enumerating.

“Your criminal records erased, an honest marriage into a noble and prestigious family” The Master’s father went on, much to their sons’ shock.

“You don’t want peace for the universe, you want a political alliance!” The Doctor protested indignantly, clenching his arms around the Master even more for support as soon as his attempt to stand up against the other two Time Lords was neutralised by the increased gravity.

“And without the two victims around to remind you how you signed it!” The Master added, on the same upset tone, holding back the Doctor despite admitting that he had never given his father the credit he apparently required.

“We came to the conclusion that we don’t really want so many different things” The Master’s father countered nonchalantly, staring at his nails as he picked non-existent dirt from under them.

“However, we can assure you that such an agreement came after the request of the High Council to let you two marry” The Doctor’s father added plainly. “We just tried to get something good for our families out of the obligation forced on us”

“Why do they think that marry us off to one another would teach us some valuable lesson in the first place?” The Doctor asked incredulously, his expression a mask of pure confusion and worry.

His father didn’t offer him any open answer, he just lowered his eyes to stare at the Master’s waist, where the Doctor’s hands lain in a loose embrace.

The Doctor followed his eyes and then glared back at him, all his features screaming outrage.

“We’re best friends!!” He bellowed, unconsciously tightening up his arms around the Master’s waist and doing so bringing him up to sit basically on his lap. “We literally grew up together, while you were too busy meddling in politics!”

“May I ask to your associates if they use the same manners with their own childhood friends?” The Doctor’s father countered distrustfully, as his eyes finally moved up to stare at Jo and the Brigadier.

“Well, actually…” Jo stuttered embarrassedly as the Brigadier, not really knowing what to say, just coughed politely.

The Doctor used all his remaining strength to turn towards them, a betrayed expression on his face.

“We don’t really do that between male friends” The Brigadier offered, in a desperate attempt to defend himself. “Still, I come from the military, so I’m not really someone reliable on these matters. Our conduct is quite strict ”

“Yeah, besides, there might be cultural differences” Jo added nervously. “And upbringing! Or… different characters”

“How quaint” The Master’s father deadpanned, staring at the two humans who just looked ashamed at their vain attempt to help the Doctor and the Master. “Both so ready to deny the obvious”

“Let’s assume for a moment that this is true and we are indeed infatuated with one another” The Master pretended to condescend eventually, his fingers nervously and unconsciously tapping on the Doctor’s forearms. “What’s your point in making us marry? That wouldn’t really be a punishment”

“That’s because it’s not supposed to be a punishment” The Doctor’s father pointed out tiredly, heaving a sigh as he stared down at the younger Time Lord.

“Yeah, it’s just a conclusion the whole planet came to for the sake of the universe” The Master’s father continued grudgingly, sharing a quick uncomfortable glance with the Doctor’s father.

“Like _you_ would care” The Master retorted acidly, gritting his teeth in distrust.

“I never really attempted to conquer other galaxies” His father answered him quietly.

“Yeah, your main focus is Gallifrey: get control of the controllers.” The Master stated plainly. “Why wanting an alliance with the Doctor’s family, if not to get more power?”

“Yours are just suppositions” The Master’s father curtly closed the topic. “ _You_ on the other hand are risking more than just your regenerations with all you’ve done. You should think of this as your last chance to get what you want and redeem your crimes before your misdeeds trap you into a mess too big to be salvaged”

“ _Who_ are _you_ to tell _me_ what _I_ want?” The Master spit back at him arrogantly.

“We just want freedom, marriage it’s not really that” The Doctor added, hiding behind the Master’s shoulder his miserable pout as he allowed his mind to brush against the one of his friend to update him about a viable way to escape.

“You _will_ keep it” The Doctor’s father added resignedly. “The Council is just ordering you to get over this childish behaviour of yours and finally marry. It won’t be sudden, unless you want it to be. At least give it a try”

“We could escape during the time you leave us” The Doctor enumerated plainly. “Or we could accept to marry and then go on like we have always done”

“You’re free to believe what you want, both about this proposition and about yourselves.” The Doctor’s father countered, now plainly exasperated. “Still, you’re going to come with us on Gallifrey and do what we are all asking you to do”

“We already told you, we know that we can’t trap you on Gallifrey. You might be immature and childish, but no one thinks we have better minds than yours on the planet.” The Master’s father concluded. “We know we can’t force you to stay unless there’s something you really want and we also know we have currently nothing to offer. That’s why we all came to this solution: to do damage control”

Both the Doctor and the Master attempted to say something incredibly nasty to their parents, but were promptly stopped by the pressure of the gravity changing its attraction point to coerce both of them to a standing position. Not having many other choices, the two Time Lords decided to obey the not so subtle invitation of the Master’s father – the one clearly manoeuvring the gravitational control device – still clinging tight to one another, in case one saw a viable way to escape and had to drag the other towards it before even telepathic explanation may occur.

It was a strategy that had never failed them.

Unfortunately, exactly because it was a strategy they had perfected during the years of their juvenile escapades, their fathers new quite well the appropriate countermoves.

“You won’t be freed from the energy field until we reach Gallifrey” The Master’s father announced, extracting from the lapels of his tunic the controls of the detention field their sons had been captured into. After some careful taps on several colourful buttons, the field around them frizzed light blue and then turned a dusty golden yellow.

“Wait, what are you doing to them!?” Jo yelled at the two older Time Lords, moving one feet towards the group of aliens as the Brigadier held her firmly next to him, restraining her the best he could to not let her get involved.

“We’ll give them back within a reasonable amount of time in Earth terms. Hopefully, after they are properly wed” The Doctor’s father announced, staring attentively at the device his companion was still fidgeting with to assure himself that it wouldn’t be misused against his son.

“Wait a bloody minute-” Both the Doctor and the Master yelled back at them, realising that their escape would be certainly unlikely if their fathers had really succeeded to just teleport them on Gallifrey.

As it unfortunately happened, before they could even put into action a counter-field with their sonic screwdrivers like they were attempting to do while stalling their parents with chatters and banters.

They rematerialized, as they had feared, in the centre of one of the vast corridors of the administrative palace of the Time Lords’ Citadel. They gladly noticed that the gravity inside the field containing them had been restored to normal and that there was no one in sight guarding them at the moment. Despite that, the barrier enclosing them was stronger than ever.

“What kind of energy do you think it is, Master?” The Doctor asked eventually, as he poked the field surrounding them. He felt a light electrocution running from the tip of his finger throughout his whole body, and he was violently bounced backwards in the Master’s ready arms.

“Ions, considering the smell around us” The Master answered, his hands not moving from his friend’s upper arms even after the Doctor was once again stable on his feet. “But they must have coerced inside the field some other kind of particles to allow the spatial-time transport”

“Must be something that works like the Harmony-” The Doctor attempted to say, before being rudely interrupted by the Master.

“It can’t. My father had the device and the device is still on Earth with him” He explained plainly. “The field is still present and I don’t see catalysts around us that we can deactivate”

“It turned blue before transporting us, though.” The Doctor pointed out. “The spatial-time travel might just be something that can be contained inside the field but it’s not part of the field itself”

“Ionized three or four ring polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, then” The Master concluded pensively before sighing deeply. “We’re never going to find out how deactivate this before they return, do you realise it?”

“You are not wrong” The Doctor admitted sadly. “Besides, even if we succeed, how do we return to Earth? We don’t have our TARDISes and I doubt we’ll be able to steal another one considering that they brought us here on their own volition”

“We could reverse the space-time shift through this barrier. It would give us enough time to work out something better” The Master proposed, eyeing attentively the field in front of him. The Doctor stared at his friend dubiously and then took out his sonic screwdriver, attentively scanning it.

“No residual traces of Time Vortex” He concluded, staring sadly at his friend. “We’re trapped”

“Glad to see you have finally reached such a vital conclusion” The Master’s father said rematerializing just behind them. They both turned to stare at the older Time Lord, wondering how they hadn’t even heard him coming. With him, there was also the Doctor’s father, sporting an expression that spoke disappointment in volumes.

Maybe, the Doctor assumed, his father would have liked him to actually escape, if only to prove to everyone that at least he could achieve something useful. Too bad he hadn’t managed to do well even that.

“Guards are all around this building and this corridor is highly secured, so don’t even think you can escape.” The Master’s father announced, as he pushed one final button on his device to free the two younger Time Lords. “Moreover, all the TARDISes have been momentarily set to not allow you access and so has been the Time Matrix, just in case you thought of being creative”

As soon as they were free, the Master grabbed a firm hold of the Doctor’s forearm and stared deeply at his father with pure hate.

 _‘We’re stuck_.’ He mentally announced to the Doctor.

 _‘Let’s follow through this madness, we might manage to escape further on. It doesn’t really seem something happening overnight.’_ The Doctor answered back, relaxing his shoulders in surrender but still holding the older Time Lords’ disappointed glaze with stubbornness.

The Master glanced up at the Doctor as if he wished to say something else about the mental discussion they were having, but eventually he decided to say nothing. Despite the lack of proper phrasing, his uneasiness passed through their still open mental connection before the Master could do something to prevent it, making the Doctor stare back at him questioningly. The Master, however, simply shook his head and turned back to stare at their fathers, his grip on the Doctor’s velvet-clad arm tightening unconsciously as the Doctor placed a reassuring hand on his.

“What’s the deal, then?” The Master asked eventually, attempting to change the topic.

The Master’s father stared at his son exasperated and rolled his eyes, grimacing in plain disappointment.

“ _That_ is your first step” He snarled, nodding in the direction of a door to their right.

The central label on the plain wooden door stated in looping golden letters:

 _The Doll – psychological help_.

**T.B.C.**


	2. The Deca's Damage Control Counter-resolution

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Useful information you might need: Thete/Theta Sigma-the Doctor, Koschei-the Master, Rallon’s body (First: The Celestial Toymaker), Mortimus-The Monk (First: The Time Meddler, The Daleks' Master Plan), Magnus-The War Chief (Second: War Games), Drax (Fourth: The Armageddon factor), Ushas-the Rani (Sixth: The Mark of the Rani, Seventh: Time and the Rani). All the others (including actual Rallon) appeared briefly or lengthily in Divided Loyalties

“I don’t need psychological help!” The Doctor bellowed heatedly at the two older Time Lords, deeply insulted by the implied meaning of such a request.

“What kind of name is _the Doll_ for a psychologist?” The Master protested aloud, instead.

The Doctor stared back at his friend, offering him nothing more than a challenging risen eyebrow for his trouble.

“Well, I can’t really say that I don’t need one, can I?” The Master admitted plainly, staring back at the Doctor almost innocently.

“Of course you can!” The Doctor countered, turning his back to the other two Time Lords to glare properly down at the Master. “It’s a neurological problem at its core, so what’s the point in patching up the consequences?”

“Someone would call it doing _damage control_ ” The Doctor’s father pointed out hastily, unnerved by his son’s way to easily lose focus of what was actually important for him at the moment. “Now, get inside. No one here wants to put you through personal psychological therapy, even though you both would need it”

Seeing no other way than obey, the Doctor and the Master opened the door in front of them and got inside the barely furnished but welcoming office. Sitting on a comfortable-looking leather armchair, there was a young Time Lady with electric blue hair long just below her ears.

Both the two Time Lords felt like they knew her, despite the relatively recent regeneration they could still perceive lingering around her features.

“Long time no see, isn’t it?” She confirmed their suspicions with a happy kind smile on her lips.

“Millennia!” Both of them realised at the same time, eventually giving up their strategic disposition to rush towards her and hug her tightly. She welcomed both of them in her arms in turns, but then took her time to particularly grin at the Master, who was staring at her like he had just seen a ghost.

“You must have liked me more than I thought, Koschei” She taunted him. “You’ve never been so physical with me in all those years when we shared classes and mischiefs”

“We all thought you were lost forever, even dead” The Master answered her, failing miserably at keeping his worry and shock from his voice. “You were one of us, Millennia, and a bloody smart one of I may say that aloud.”

“He’s right, what’s with the psychological help office and that name?” The Doctor took his chance to ask. “You were specialising in Time Engineering before our unpleasant incident with the Toymaker”

“Psychology is a respectable science, Thete” The Doll reprimanded the Doctor, smirking proudly at him before giving him the explanation he’d asked for. “And after all that time as a doll under the Toymaker, I thought the name would be a memento of the experience and a way to remember the starting point of my new scope in life”

“What are you talking about?” The Doctor asked curiously, sharing a worried glance with the Master.

The Doll just sighed and gestured them to sit down on the chairs in front of her desk, as she went back to her own.

“First of all, you must know that all this thing about making you two marry is part of a way bigger plot the High Council had properly named _The Deca Damage Control Resolution_ , following the _Deca Affair._ I suppose I don’t need to mention that obviously the trial took place with any of us standing there to defend ourselves”

“You mean that _all_ the Deca is involved in this charade?” The Doctor asked worriedly.

“Yes, and before you hear this piece of information from someone else, I must tell you that we signed the petition to make your fathers accept your marriage along with the rest of the planet” She admitted meekly, unable to hold her friends’ stare anymore. “We had to, in order to contract a favourable bargain for the two of you”

“What!?” Both Time Lords yelled at the same time, feeling betrayed as well as mortified, knowing that their lives and misdeeds were now public knowledge.

“It was on your own best interest” The Doll explained kindly, staring down at the papers on her desk. “They intended to just marry you off overnight and leave you dealing with everything alone. They would have made up some obligations that you had to follow on the way, hoping you finally _accepted the new situation_ on your own. We all thought that it was immoral and basically pointless”

“ _All_ of you?” The Master asked, rising a surprised eyebrow in the Doll’s direction, feeling each time more confused and betrayed as well as reassured by their friends’ apparent camaraderie.

“We were a team, Koschei” The Doll answered him sadly. “Despite everything that has happened, we all care about you guys. The grudges some of us might have built up in these years against the two of you are not enough to make any of us wanting to hurt you, not this personally”

“I’m sorry for what happened to you and Rallon” The Doctor took his chance to say, feeling called into question at the mentions of possible grudges against him from his former school friends. “I should have found a way to get you back”

“The Toymaker is not someone easy to defeat, Thete.” The Doll reassured him with a caring smile on her lips. “It took most of Gallifrey resources to get us back and, if they didn’t believe it essential in consideration of the _Resolution,_ nothing would have made them even attempt it.”

“How does feat your rescue in this attempt to punish all of us, though?” The Master asked suspiciously.

“You two were not the only Deca members wreaking havoc in the known and unknown universes.” The Doll explained, starting to count off on her fingers the name of their friends as she said them aloud. “While they attempted to reform Magnus, after his escapade with the War Lords, he managed to escape custody and go back to Earth, almost making the Nazis win WWII. Wandering aimlessly around the galaxy, Mortimus ended up trapped on a slime planet and to free himself and his TARDIS from it had to make it explode; unfortunately, that planet was supposed to become the centre of a great civilisation of do-gooders. Drax became friend with the ruler of Galaxy 9 without knowing it was a fake, got involved in a coup d'état and, while attempting to reverse his time on the planet, he turned it back to its pre-history. Vansell was discovered stealing secret information from the hidden archives of the President. Ushas lost control of a biological engineered doomsday weapon that would have erased the galaxy she was in along with a few others nearby. Jelpax-”

“Forgot to hand over a form properly sighed?” The Master offered, his voice teasing as he relaxed in his chair and crossed his arms on his chest, smirking back at her.

“Well, it _was_ something like that, honestly.” She admitted evenly, shaking her shoulders in surrender. “Still, it was a very important document. Or so they say”

“Listening to you I can actually see why they came to _The Deca Affair_.” The Doctor admitted grudgingly, molesting his lower lip with the flat of his index finger. “Still, is unclear to me how they came from our mischiefs to saving you and marrying us off to one another”

“Well, being you two considered a tandem problem, they initially decided to deal with the others. Their basic idea was to just put them together and make them collaborating on an harmless project”

“You mean they wanted an excuse to exploit them” The Doctor pointed out, earning a sigh and an honest nod from the Time Lady.

“It didn’t get according to their plan, though. They started bickering with one another quite soon, especially Magnus and Ushas” The Doll kept explaining under the knowing eyes of her friends. “Eventually, their anger turned towards the High Council, since they thought about a _Deca Affair_ now, but had never cared about their two lost members. Saving us seemed to be the only thing on which everyone agreed to work together, so the presidency itself offered them information on the Toymaker and resources”

“We always asked for help, they had never granted us any!” The Doctor protested indignantly, taking the current situation as a personal affront, since he had been one of those who had kept nagging for resources to rescue his friends.

“How so typical of the High Council, caring about their fellow Time Lords only to gain something back” The Master added in disgust.

“Despite their reasons, they eventually managed to get us back. Some better and some worse for.” The Doll told them, sadness thickening in her voice.

“How’s Rallon?” The Doctor asked eventually, his hand resting over the Doll’s, hoping to bring her some kind of comfort.

“Physically he is fine... His mind needs time to heal, though.” Was the Doll’s honest answer as she held thankfully the Doctor’s hand in hers.

“That’s why you chose to change your specialisation” The Doctor acknowledged plainly, staring from the Doll’s delicate hands, so small in comparison to his own, to her sad expression.

“It’s pathetic, Thete, isn’t it?” She admitted, her deep blue eyes never leaving their entwined hands. “Still loving your childhood sweetheart after all this time and after all you had to endure because of him.”

“Not really” The Master whispered barely realising it, swept away by the moment.

The Doll just stared back at him fondly, a knowing smirk on her pale lips that could only worry the Master about how much their friends knew of his own current predicament. The Doctor had heard him too, however, and he had turned towards him confused, wondering if he had heard properly and what the Master meant with those words.

“Master?” He asked eventually.

The Master simply averted his glaze from his friends and grunted noncommittally, earning the Doll’s light chuckle for that.

“Oh, you’re right!” The Doll pretended to remember only then, in order to save the Master and change slightly topic. “You now call yourselves the Doctor and the Master. You know, I really didn’t think you would really follow through those starting ideas.”

“Well, it kind of evolved from there” The Doctor admitted shyly, embarrassingly rubbing the back of his neck with his hand. “Being the Doctor who heals the universe has a nice ring to it, hasn’t it?”

“This wasn’t really what you told us at the beginning, though” The Doll countered, this time turning her smart smirk and mischievous gaze on the Doctor.

“What do you mean?” The Master asked confusedly, staring back alternatively at the Doll and at the Doctor, who panicked in earnest.

“Don’t you know?” The Doll explained turning towards the Master despite her stare was still on the Doctor through the corner of her eye. “It was a matter of _who_ to heal at the beginning-”

“Doll!” The Doctor interrupted her embarrassedly, his overly pale cheeks reddening slightly.

The Master could just stare confused at his two friends, barely registering that the change of topic – weird as it had been – it still had stopped the Doctor wondering about what he had meant with his unfortunate comment about loving your childhood friend.

He still felt that he ought to know the new topic, though, considering how much it troubled the Doctor.

“Try our path” Millennia concluded with honest determination, looking straight from the Doctor’s blue eyes to the Master’s brown ones. “We _really_ only want what’s best for you. If our Damage Control Counter-resolution doesn’t prove that the Council was strangely right at least with their basic proposal, we’ll help you escape”

It was hard not trusting their strong-willed and genial Millennia, even more so when both the Doctor and the Master felt deeply guilty towards her, especially the Doctor.

“Please, guys” She continued. “We don’t want you married off overnight and without an actual reason as much as you don’t want it. Think of this as a series of games with your old friends just to start off the engagement”

The Doctor and the Master searched for each other’s eyes hesitantly. Somehow, as their stares met, both of them felt that they couldn’t really sustain the pressure the whole situation was putting on their hearts and both of them quickly averted their eyes from one another.

“We might as well try” The Doctor declared eventually, barely stealing a glance in the direction of the Master to survey his reaction. The dark haired Time Lord, however, simply stared back at him, eyes large in shock and mouth slightly open.

“We might indeed” The Master agreed eventually, attempting to regain a bit of his cool but not really managing it.

“Well then” The Doll declared, as she pushed a button on a black communication device on her desk. “You may enter.”

Soon, one of the side doors on their left opened and the rest of the Deca entered the office. Vansell, Jelpax and Rallon leaned quietly against the wall behind them, flanking the office main door, almost as if they feared a lot of chaos and they didn’t want to be involved in it. As to prove their point, Drax happily attempted to walk towards the two newly appointed fiancées to say hello to them, only to be thrown aside by the War Chief and the Monk, who glared amiably at the Doctor.

“Considering that we’re staying here to do you guys a favour, Millennia took a lot of time to make you accept our help” The War Chief pointed out, grimacing in mild offence. He had changed his appearance from the last time they had seen one another, but he still sported the same strangely shaped beard and the golden pendant of his family house that made almost impossible not recognizing him. “I hope you won’t try to think by yourself this time too, Doctor”

“If you didn’t choose to play Happy Warfare at the humans’ expenses, I wouldn’t have had to call the Time Lords” The Doctor countered, glaring back at his friend as he stood back on his feet. Satisfactorily, this time they were almost the same height. “I also lost a regeneration, my friends and my freedom because of you, what kind of Leader are you?”

“And what kind of friend are you, making your good pal wander about the universe without the chance to decide where to go??” The Monk interrupted their quarrel to add his own piece of complain against the Doctor. “You have no idea what I had to endure because of you!”

“Well, I actually find it quite amusing...” The Doctor teased him with mirth, crossing one of his arm on his chest as one of his hand moved to his mouth to conceal his grin as he stared down at the distressed Time Lord.

“Your aimless travels are not a mechanical fault, you just can’t pilot your TARDIS!” The Monk countered, plainly pouting at the Doctor.

“It’s not really any news, though” The Master took his chance to come to the Doctor’s defence, smirking teasingly at his friends. “He failed that exam plenty of times”

“How dare you!” The Doctor protested, staring down betrayed at the Master. “I’m your fiancée at the moment, don’t you remember? Shouldn’t you stop being so impolite to point out my flaws?”

The Master swallowed visibly as he stared back at him with even wider eyes, as if his certainties in the whole universe had just crashed, all the pretence of mirth gone from his expression.

“Technically yes, we’re engaged” The Master admitted eventually, his expression still as plain as he could manage despite the slight tremble of his voice. “But I didn’t really thought that you would follow through with all the implications”

"Well, if I need to go through all of this, I should at least get something good for me in return, shouldn’t I?" The Doctor countered, still trying to read his friend and failing at it. “Going back to what we used to be as kids didn’t seem like too much to ask of you.”

The Doctor didn’t really know how to take all those mixed signals that kept adding up in relation to the Master lately, but at the moment he guessed that he could just file away the information for later on.

"You really are something else" The Master countered, shaking his head in disbelief at the Doctor’s too light approach to the whole thing. Knowing that his disappointment wouldn’t stop the Doctor’s complaints, however, he decided to quickly change focus and topic of the discussion turning towards who was, in his eyes, the rogue number one among the Deca.

“And what about you?” He continued then, staring reproachfully at the Rani. “I can’t believe you’re on this too. I thought you would have stopped this insanity or at least kept yourself out of it”

The Rani stared in plain disdain at her friend, pursing her lips in a mocking expression.

“Shut it, Master” She answered curtly. “My patience doesn’t last much, you know it, and with the pair of you it ended way before our academy years even started”

“We _met_ at the academy” The Doctor pointed out, confused by her statement.

“Exactly”

“So sorry I thought you were a friend, then” The Master countered, unmoved by her recrimination.

“Don’t even try this, Master.” She warned him coldly. “You kept swearing to me every time that whatever it was happening at the moment was the last time you would have bothered me about the problems you two are having, but each and every time you keep coming back and crying that something new and incredibly unfair is happening! Now you two are going to see the end of this, willing or unwilling, and I don’t want to hear any recrimination on your side!”

“May I know what the devil you are talking about?” The Doctor asked eventually, not really understanding what had been happening between the Master and the Rani during the last years they had all turned renegades.

“Ask our darling Master, Doctor” The Rani offered provocatively, eyeing the Master with a critical eye.

The Doctor turned to stare at the Master, but the other Time Lord simply looked elsewhere, stubbornly refusing to explain why he had been pestering the Rani.

"Guys, yelling at one another is not really the easiest way to get out of all of this" The Doll eventually interrupted the quarrel, walking in between the two groups. "Magnus, would you care to start explaining the schedule we planned, please?"

The War Chief stared back at the Doll and nodded, satisfied to have once again the chance to play the Leader.

"Of course" He answered, bowing graciously to the bluenette and then smirking viciously towards the Doctor and the Master. "We planned a series of tasks that you are supposed to perform together, to put it simply. Winning is not really your main goal, you are just required to work through them together, nothing different from what you usually do"

"Wait, you mean that you guys planned these tasks only to make us collaborate?" The Doctor asked suspiciously. “You could have just left us to our own devices, if that was the case”

"As Millennia already explained to you, we were the only ones supporting the idea that you should be at least _guided_ towards marriage.” The War Chief pointed out, crossing his arms on his chest annoyed. “You should just thank us for having this chance to appreciate the good old days from a new prospective. And you will, believe me. In due time obviously"

"So sweet of you guys" The Master deadpanned, suffocating a disdainful sneer.

"We still want a decent amount of galaxies to live in, Master" The Monk protested, stalking between the War Chief and the two fiancées. "Pushing you two though all of this alone and unsupervised is not the smartest proposal they ever came up with, you might even destroy the universe quicker and worse. We all believe they are not entirely wrong this time, though, you just need to be guided properly"

"We planned the tasks to our likings” Drax came to the Monk’s rescue. “But we consulted with Millennia to have everything contained in a neat way to know yourselves better. Believe us, it’s nothing harmful"

"I don’t really think I need to know the Doctor better than I already do" The Master countered acidly, eventually standing up next to the Doctor in order to glare at the rest of the Deca better.

"Koschei, darling" The Doll butted in, approaching him to calm him down. " _I_ am the shrink and _we all_ are certain that you both lack a quite important and harmless piece of information about one another... This doesn’t mean that any of us thinks that there’s someone who knows you guys better than you do. You will see, the tasks are nothing to be worried about"

Both the Doctor and the Master stared at the Doll dubiously, not quite grasping what piece of information she could be referring to. They had some vague ideas about what this mess was all about, but any information they were withholding from their best friend was far from harmless.

Seeing that both of them had stopped complaining, the War Chief took his chance to resume his explanation as he flanked the Doll.

"The first task is up to me and me alone, rejoice. We'll start tomorrow morning." He explained theatrically. "Then, Rallon and the Monk will make you company though the rest of the afternoon. The day after tomorrow you will be entirely in Vansell and Jelpax' care, and they should hopefully let you go before the end of the following morning. Drax and the Rani will get you right after you finish their third task and you will have to endure them for the rest of the afternoon. All clear?"

"I will obviously keep an eye on things" The Doll added, her voice reassuring and calm. "Your families arranged a room for you near my office so that you can rest in between the tasks"

“It doesn’t look like we’ve got many other options” The Doctor declared, nodding in grudgingly agreement.

“May that be as it is, I hope you will all be ready to actually help us escape when all of this will end” The Master concluded on the same tone.

“I absolutely don’t think that will be the case” The Rani observed mockingly, earning the Doctor’s confused stare on her and the Master’s challenging glare.

“Let’s enjoy the chance we finally have to be all together after all this time, shall we?” The Doll interrupted the quarrel before it could start once again. “I personally would have never thought possible a reunion! It’s a nice chance to remind to each and every one of us why we were friends to begin with if nothing else”

“Millennia, are you sure that us testing the Doctor and the Master isn’t really part of a bigger attempt to reform the whole Deca?” Vansell asked suspiciously, still not moving from his spot leaning against the wall.

The Doll simply shook her head.

“It’s not the Council speaking, at the moment, just myself and Rallon.” She explained quietly. “We left when we were still a friendly group and we came back thanks to your collective efforts... We know things changed, still a bit of a reunion might help of us acknowledging this passage of time… Or salvage what’s left of the Deca. We just need a closure of some kind”

Everyone else turned to Rallon, who had been the most silent of all of them until then along with Jelpax.

“I’m sorry, guys, but after what happened to me all your little grudges seem just petty” Rallon admitted eventually. “It’s hard starting again and even harder seeing your friends behave like you’re doing. I really miss what we had... Every little fight was just a disagreement among friends...”

“It was all my fault, Rallon” The Doctor admitted sadly, staring down at his feet in shame. The Master, seeing him so distressed, just put his hand on his shoulder, hoping to offer him some sort of comfort.

“No one is at fault, Thete, I think that Millennia already told you” Rallon reassured him, attempting a kind smile. “We knew it was dangerous and we also know that you would have actually helped us, if you could. I still think of you as a friend and I would like this feeling to be mutual”

“Of course it is” The Doctor agreed with badly hidden relief.

“Good, then” Rallon concluded, turning towards the Doll. “Millennia? Is it enough for today?”

“I think so” She confirmed, clapping her hands and offering everyone a smile. “C’mon, guys, I’ll show you your room, so tomorrow you will be ready for Magnus’ trial”

“Are you really sure he won’t just try to kill me off in revenge?” The Doctor protested as the Doll lead him and the Master outside.

“Do you really think I’m so petty and unimaginative, Doctor?” The War Chief protested as he followed them outside the office, obviously offended by the accusations.

Much to the Doctor’s surprise, it was the Master who turned to smirk mischievously at him.

“I would” He pointed out with fake innocence.

All the rest of the Deca rolled their eyes and proceeded to exit the room together with the others.

“I do wonder why you keep proving my point, my dear chap” The Doctor countered, patting affectionately his hand on the Master’s shoulder.

“Because is fun” The Master answered in kind, his hand resting on the small of the Doctor’s back.

“Because you’re delusional” The Rani butted in, earning quickly all the others stare on her. “Just do me a favour, the both of you. Just look at the things you see and not at what you think you’re seeing, it will save us plenty of time”

That said, the Rani waved them goodbye as she followed the corridor down the side opposite to where the Doll was leading the Doctor and the Master.

“Wait for me, Rani!” The War Chief called her out, rushing to flank her. “There was this project I perfected, you know...”

In a few more seconds, they both disappeared behind the corner much to the Monk’s disappointment.

“After we finished with these two we should make a support group to make the War Chief give up on the Rani” The Monk stated plainly, sighing overdramatically.

“I do agree, indeed” Drax approved, shaking his head in resignation. “It’s time for us to go too, though. I still have my part of the task to finish”

“We’ll come along” Vansell butted in, bringing Jelpax along. “We’re not renegades, we still have our duties to the society”

“What should this mean!?” The Master yelled back at the retreating Time Lord.

“What I said, _Koschei_ ” Vansell answered lightly, taking his time to glance teasingly at the Master. “Get ready for our task, you will have a full rewind back to the past”

That said, the four Time Lords ignored the rest of the Master’s protests and disappeared in the same direction the War Chief and the Rani had gone.

“Your room is this way” The Doll told them, leading them in front of a plain looking door not much far the office. “Rallon and I will be on the other side of the corridor, if you should need any night consultation. Someone will bring you something to eat, if you are hungry, you only need to use the communication device on the right. It only communicates with the service staff”

“Thank you, Doll” The Doctor said, not much happy with the whole situation but glad to have her support. Even the Master nodded his thanks, and then they bid them goodnight before both couples retired to their opposite rooms.

When The Doctor and the Master opened the door, they immediately noticed it was a standard looking bedroom with just a large double bed in the middle, two bedside tables and a single wardrobe. When they dared to peek inside, they could notice hopefully that it was indeed filled with an assortment of clothes in both their styles, plus some typical gallifreian that came in both sizes.

Much to their surprise, there was also a couple of bright red Prydonian uniforms.

“Do you think that these uniforms might be part of Vansell’s task?” The Doctor asked amused.

“Might as well” The Master answered curtly, not much happy by the mess they were in. “I just hope they won’t try to age us back, it would be most inconvenient”

“The uniforms look our current size, I think we’re fine on that account” The Doctor noted, allowing himself a nostalgic smile. “Uniforms or not, this whole room is going to still be a reminder of the past: it has been ages since we shared a bed”

“At least this time it will be a double bed, we usually had to make do with the single in our room.” The Master allowed himself to remember fondly. “Still, I wouldn’t mind to know what plan you have in mind, now that we’re alone”

“I have none, actually.” The Doctor admitted ruefully, turning to stare curiously at his friend. “Why? You have one?”

“I thought all that being friendly was part of something” The Master countered, staring back to the Doctor reproachfully.

“I was behaving like the usual”

“You were not” The Master pointed out plainly. “You called yourself my fiancée!”

“Despite our opinion on the matter, it still is true, my dear chap”

“Doctor...” The Master reprimanded him, rising his right eyebrow in challenge.

“I don’t really know why I felt like I had to say that” The Doctor confessed, sighing deeply and eventually sitting on the border of the bed. “We were in a safe environment with all our friends… There was no one who would have judged the predicament we are in… I don’t know why it is so easy saying something like that”

“Could it be that something happen to your mind?” The Master asked him worriedly, sitting down next to him.

“Aside the obvious? It’s not that kind of I don’t know, however” The Doctor countered. “I thought about what the Rani said... About looking at what we see and not what we think we’re seeing...”

As he stared back at the Master, however, his eyes locked with the unsure ones of his friend and he felt his breath hitch.

“You know, thinking about it better” The Doctor continued. “You should really check me for bugs”

“And you would trust me?” The Master asked surprised and even more confused by the request.

“Is there a _real_ reason why I shouldn’t?” The Doctor asked partially to himself and partially to the Master. Why did they end up enemies in the first place?

“Because I’m trying to kill you during these last centuries, perhaps?”

“This should also be a reason for _you_ not to help, though, shouldn’t it?”

“This can’t just be Rani’s words.” The Master decided eventually, uncertain about the meaning he was allowed to give to the Doctor’s words. “Close up everything else, I’m taking a look”

The Doctor closed his eyes and took a few moments to make his mind neutral; then, he nodded quietly to the Master.

“You may go, now”

The Master nodded back at him even though the Doctor couldn’t see him and placed his fingers gracefully on the Doctor’s temples. When he managed to enter his mind, he had to admit that the Time Lords had left it in ruins. He couldn’t even search for other kind of bugs in all that mess.

“What the hell have they done to you?” He muttered as he searched around for the best place where to start fixing the Doctor.

‘ _Does it look so bad?_ ’ The Doctor asked worried though telepathy.

‘ _Quiet. Let me work for a while_ ’

After a couple of hours, eventually the Master interrupted their connection, deeming his work completed. There were no bugs to be found, but at least the Doctor’s mind was now perfectly restored.

“How are you now?” He asked the Doctor.

The Doctor searched for the bits of information he knew were missing, and was surprised finding nothing amiss there.

“It seems perfect” The Doctor agreed relieved, offering the Master a teasing smirk as he stared up at him coyly. “And you attempted to breach through my securities only a limited amount of times too”

“I was just checking if your mental defences were still fine” The Master teased him back.

“Of course you were.” The Doctor told him, his smirk losing all its edges and becoming a true grateful smile. “Thank you for patching me up”

“Mind control is one of my specialisations” The Master pointed out, sitting once again next to the Doctor, their elbows brushing one against the other. “And you said it yourself: you’re my fiancée”

“Yes” The Doctor admitted, staring back at his lap. “Do you really think that your father wants to capitalize on me?”

“Your family is weird by any Time Lord point of view, but it’s a good family.” The Master admitted, understanding the Doctor’s worries. “It would be the best use they could make of me”

He laid down on the soft mattress, staring vaguely at the ceiling.

“I don’t like the idea of them using you. Or me for the matter.” The Doctor countered shyly, lying on his side next to the Master and staring down at him worriedly. “Still, I’m glad I’m in this with you”

The Master turned his head to his side to read better the Doctor’s expression, but nothing could help him decipher the actual meaning of his words.

“Me too" He admitted eventually, hoping not to have already said too much.

The Doctor knew him and knew him well, but he had hundreds years of practice in denying his feelings, and not their parents nor the Rani or Millennia would ever make him change his mind.

"Let's go to sleep" The Master concluded eventually. "We can think about how getting out from this mess tomorrow"

**T.B.C.**


	3. Cooperative warfare

“Rise and shine” The War Chief announced grumpily, grimacing at the two sleeping Time Lords.

“Have you ever heard of beauty sleep, Magnus?” The Doctor complained, sitting up and glaring at his friend.

“Those humans have a bad influence on you, you should try a more salutary military approach" The War Chief drawled, crossing his arms on his chest as he stared down at the Master, who was only then attempting to sit up. “On the other hand you surprise me, Koschei. You've always been more disciplined than Thete"

The Master shook his head in confusion as he properly tried to wake up, something that was strangely unable to do. He had slept deeper than he had ever done in centuries, something that, instead of resting well his body, had apparently just put it in a jumble.

“What?” He asked eventually, having barely realised that the War Chief was indeed addressing him. “What hour is it?”

“The second sun just rose" The War Chief answered him, his arrogant stare turning slightly worried. “Are you sure you're feeling well? If you're ill, we could arrange to wait a couple of days before starting the tasks”

He walked towards the bed, ultimately standing right behind the Doctor in order to watch their friend better. The two awake Time Lords shared a meaningful stare that made the Doctor decide to actually investigate the situation. After freeing both of them of their bedcovers, the Doctor lowered at the Master’s head level to stare at him in the eyes as he rested his forehead against his to check if he had a temperature.

That subtle and caring act was enough to fully wake up the Master, whose eyes grew larger in shock as his cheeks turned slightly darker. In a split second, he was already out of the bed, at safe distance from the Doctor and the War Chief, both still staring worriedly at him.

"What the hell are you doing? I'm perfectly fine" The Master shouted back at the Doctor, searching in his head for a decent excuse for his behaviour. "I was just a bit slower waking up… Gallifreian beds are different from what I’m used to during these late years"

"Your feeble excuse doesn’t explain why you are so red in the face" The War Chief pointed out in a plain drawl, with a knowing grin on his face that froze the blood inside the Master’s veins.

"What has the Rani told to the lot of you?" The Master enquired suspiciously, his stare moving accusatorily to the War Chief.

"Nothing that we didn't already know" He just answered, shrugging lightly. "Breakfast will be in quickly, you will need it. I'll wait for you in a couple of hours at the training grounds, the Doll and Rallon will lead your way there"

That said, the War Chief took his leave with a nonchalant wave of his hand, ready to tell the others how he had found The Troublemaker Fiancées in the morning and decide on what to do.

"Master?" The Doctor asked as soon as their friend had left their room. "What does the Rani know that I don't? Has this something to do with those harmless information Millennia spoke about?"

"You have known for hundreds of years that the rest of the Deca is a bunch of idiots, their taunting shouldn't really worry you this much" The Master answered irately, as he searched inside the wardrobe for something comfortable and practical to wear. Magnus plus training grounds usually meant fictitious warfare, and he at least wanted to survive the task, no matter what were the others’ reassurances on the matter. "They just want to pick on poor old Koschei, nothing you should worry about"

The Doctor wasn't really sure that he could trust his best friend on that, but for the moment he decided to pretend that everything was fine. He flanked the Master to search for something to wear, but as soon as his hand went for a ruffled light green shirt the Master slapped it away from the offending garment.

"As fine as you look wearing those” The Master reprimanded him casually. “I suggest you to remind yourself that we're supposed to survive the man who calls himself the _War Chief_. You shouldn't really wish for your demise this soon, you just recently regenerated"

"You're not wrong about that" The Doctor admitted, moving his hand to grab a white T-shirt instead. "There's not much choice in my size, though"

"Because they filled the wardrobe with clothes in our styles and yours, in particular, has never been much for casual" The Master offered conversationally as he put on a less snug version of his usual black jacket. He moved his arms a bit to test how fit it was and then discarded it on top of the bed behind them for a black and white jumper that he carefully zipped up to his chin before searching for the matching pants that had to have been placed nearby.

"I _have_ casual clothes in my TARDIS. They could have just given us access to our own wardrobes" The Doctor countered, donning over the T-shirt a white and grey jumper that he forego to zip up before he went searching for a pair of matching pants too. 

"Yes, of course. So we would have dematerialised away in a matter of seconds" The Master pointed out, attempting to suffocate a chuckle before turning to stare at the Doctor, glad that he had accepted his suggestion about his choices to wear.

"Are you not going to zip that up?" He asked, however, as soon as he noticed the Doctor's attire.

"Dressing casual doesn't mean I need to give up a bit of style" The Doctor disputed, giving up his intent to show off how he looked to the Master in favour to open the door for the young retainer who had just brought them their breakfast.

"Are you saying that I'm unfashionable?" The Master countered offended, not even attempting to help the boy with his trolley. Feeling like he had gotten himself amidst a marital quarrel, the young retainer thanked the Doctor for his help, left the trolley in his care and then quickly escaped the fight.

"Not really" The Doctor answered back at the Master as soon as the boy had let them alone once again. He sat elegantly on the bed and began eating something resembling pancakes, before taking a long look at his best friend. "It's just a matter of style, I guess. I try to look sophisticatedly elegant, you simply look cute"

The Master, who had reached for a glass of juice and had barely brought it to his lips, interrupted all his movements to stare back at the Doctor, his mouth gaping open.

"C-cute?" He stuttered. "You think that _I_ look cute? Where _in hell_ do I look cute??"

He had expected plain, boring, dark... He certainly wasn't expecting cute.

"I don't know" The Doctor acknowledged, honestly surprised at his own words now that he had the chance to think them over. "Jo used to say that proper girls and boys always closed up their zips to the chin or button up their jackets to the last button in order to look cute"

"Are you judging me based on 70's Earth fashion?" The Master enquired, grimacing in disgust as he rose a disappointed eyebrow at the Doctor. "And since when do you discuss fashion with Miss Grant?"

"Should I discuss fashion with the Brigadier?" The Doctor asked instead, arching an eyebrow at his friend.

"Well, at least he would appreciate my style.” The Master countered with poise, eventually starting to sip at his glass of juice. “It's quite similar to his uniforms"

"Many Time Lords dress like that” The Doctor felt the urge to point out, somehow needing to separate the Brigadier and the Master even inside a simple hypothesis. “Especially we that come from the Academy. Just look at Magnus"

"Exactly my point. Does that mean that we’re all cute?" The Master concluded pointedly, grabbing a pancake and sitting down next to the Doctor to eat it properly and to give his statement the intended effect on the Doctor. "It's not Miss Grant's opinion on the matter. It's _you_ , my dear, that have a uniform fetish"

This time were the Master's words that froze the Doctor on the spot, right as he was finishing the last piece of pancake. No, he didn't have a uniform fetish: the War Chief and the Brigadier did look good in their uniforms, but they had never been someone to catch his eye. The Master _did_ look cute, though, especially all zipped up to his chin, hiding as much skin as Time Lordly possible.

"Might be a small uniform fetish, then" The Doctor decided, speaking aloud with purpose. Then he quickly finished up his breakfast with one last bite and put the plate back on the trolley. "Small, shy, that look up at me with tentative bashful eyes-"

Understanding quickly that the Doctor was just plainly teasing _him_ , the Master put down his own pancake and used his hands to push the Doctor down on the bed. He rolled them away from the trolley and then tried to shut him up with his hand as the other Time Lord just kept babbling about what he was pretending were the Master's _cute features_.

The Doctor giggled under the assault and he did his best to counter the Master's moves as he still rambled on. When Rallon and the Doll entered the door of their room to guide them to the training ground where the War Chief was waiting for them, they found the Master straddling the Doctor and both of them giggling desperately as they tried to tease and tickle their partner.

"Are we disturbing you?" The Doll asked teasingly, an amused grin on her face.

"We were having a discussion" The Doctor attempted to explain as the Master promptly stood up, leaving him free to stand up too and flatten imaginary wrinkles on his clothes.

"Oooh! What about?" She asked, now sounding just plainly curious.

"Clothes and fashion" The Master confessed, literally feeling Rallon’s reproachful stare on him as soon as the words left his mouth.

Before the Doctor could notice that some sort of communication was going on between Rallon and the Master, the Doll took the fair-haired Time Lord by her arm and lead him outside.

"C'mon, let's go before Magnus feels abandoned.” She told him merrily. “Rallon, you will bring Koschei, will you?"

Without waiting for an answer, she closed the door behind her back as she tempted the Doctor with her last research about how time travel could affect the psychology of the _Idromorpheas Resilientis_ on Enhensius V, and left her boyfriend and the Master finally alone in the room.

"Shut it, Rallon" The Master stated plainly as soon as the others were far enough to not overhear them, attempting to close the discussion before it could even begin.

"What I told you hundreds years ago still stand, now more than ever" Rallon countered on the same tone, crossing his arms on his chest and glaring at his friend.

"The situations are different" The Master argued, allowing himself for the first time to actually take in his friend's new regeneration. He looked quite similar to what he had looked like the last time they had seen one another, he was just a little older – still younger than the Master – and his skin had grown darker, like his hair and eyes that were now both pitch dark.

"They _were_ different" Rallon contradicted the Master, lowering his stare to the floor. "It wasn't by choice, but _I had_ to endure what you're doing to yourself. It wasn't easy looking though the Toy Maker's eyes as my body ignored and hurt my friends and my beloved, just like it isn't easy now, that I don't know what's left of us, myself or the Deca"

"It _is_ different" The Master objected resolutely. "Millennia loved and still loves you. Her feelings for you never changed and she understands that all that has happened was the Toy Maker and not you"

"It's something easy to say for you, who are watching us from afar. It is not so easy for me that I remember perfectly well what I did.” Rallon pointed out, his tone rising as if he intended to challenge the Master. “I could say just as easily that you and Thete are made for one another, it wouldn’t change the fact that you would not even try to tell him how you feel”

“I’m not ready to risk our friendship over something so stupid”

“You’re currently enemies, Koschei”

“It still is a relationship that I know” The Master declared, before taking a deep breath. “Even though I don’t think I can manage it very well even that. If I actually ended up hurting Thete or making him hate me without any chance of redemption… I just don’t know what I would do”

“ _That's_ why our situations are quite similar" Rallon explained with fervour, closing the space between the two of them. "The _only_ difference is that who's stopping you from changing things and who’s risking to hurt Theta is just you. And you _can_ stop yourself from complicating matters, Koschei. You still _have_ power over yourself and, if things turn out too difficult to understand, Thete and Millennia will certainly help"

"Thete is not Millennia, Rallon” The Master pointed out sharply yet sadly. “There _was_ and there _is_ nothing between us. And never will be"

"How can you say this, you never asked!” Rallon countered exasperated. “You let him have his life like the oblivious genius he is just like the stubborn genius you are"

"Thanks for the compliments" The Master cut short, his voice edging with mirth.

Since it didn’t look like that they were going to reach any conclusion soon, Rallon simply shook his head and opened the door of the room to finally lead the Master to the training grounds where the others were waiting for them.

"You should stop letting the Master stand between Koschei and Thete" He concluded, however, as he waited for the Master to reach his side and they moved down the corridor. "I do know it’s difficult, since part of what I’m doing these days is to stop letting what was the Toy Maker standing between Rallon and Millennia"

The Master swallowed hard at his words, but decided to say nothing. Rallon was smarter anyone would give him credit for and was making quite a lot of sense. Still, the situation wasn't the same, wasn't it?

Moreover, on a larger scale, why the whole Deca had decided to eventually put their noses in their affairs? How could the Master be certain that it was just for their old friendship and not an attempt at something he couldn’t yet gather?

Maybe a little bit of warfare was exactly what he needed to clear his mind from all those weird thoughts.

 

* * *

 

"Finally, everyone is here" The War Chief announced happily as soon as he saw Rallon and the Master coming towards them. He and the Doll had made their best to keep the Doctor distracted enough that he wouldn't ask why they had left Rallon and the Master alone together, but they were both quickly running out of topics, especially considering that the Doctor loathed the War Chief’s proposals on the recently built weaponry. "Ready to begin?"

As the Master had predicted, the training grounds had been reshaped in something similar to a war field, comprehensive of lookouts, trenches, barracks and mannequins dressed in different kinds of Earth military uniforms.

"Today is the Games Day, therefore we're going to play a game" The War Chief introduced proudly, before being interrupt by the Doctor.

"A _war_ game you mean" The fair-haired Time Lord pointed out.

"Warfare simulations are the most fascinating" The War Chief pointed out plainly, grimacing at his friend even as he earned a roll of eyes from Rallon and the Doll’s silent scolding. "You will have to knock down the mannequins and get the brooches on their neck. You can use everything at your disposal. The mannequins can shoot you, but is just a light electrocution that will incapacitate you for about three minutes"

"Oh, no actual weapons, this time?" The Doctor noted, affecting surprise.

"Unfortunately, they didn't allow me" The War Chief admitted, pouting miserably.

"C'mon, Magnus, be reasonable and _do_ go on" The Doll reprimanded him kindly.

"Well, you can start right now.” The War Chief concluded rapidly. “I'll allow you to reach that base at the centre of the war field. Every compound is considered a neutral zone and you can't be attacked inside, and that one is in a favourable place to start the operations"

"Wait, you didn’t say what's the deal" The Master complained, confusion clear in his voice. "How many do we have to get? In how much time?"

"Well, if you ask me about time, you have the whole morning" The War chief explained, offering him a challenging smirk. "If you ask me about the number, well, at least one.”

“I actually forgot to tell you something important, though.” He continued with a drawl. “This is a collaboration game: the brooch will come out from the mannequin only if the attack is the result of a combined effort"

"What!?"  Both the Master and the Doctor asked simultaneously.

"You heard me well: there's no point in working alone on individual tasks, you will have to collaborate upon a common strategy. Shouldn't be much of a problem since it is something that you’ve always done, as far as I know"

The Doctor nodded, agreeing with what the War Chief said, while the Master just glared at them both.

"It's more like the Doctor leaves me to do what I want until something terrible happens and he can offer his plan as the only workable one!” He countered with spite. “Usually he doesn’t even consult me before making alterations and adjustments, even when we’re not particularly on opposite sides"

"That’s terribly unfair of you!" The Doctor protested, while all the other Time Lords sniggered at the well-depicted routine their friends continued since the Academy.

"It's true, Thete, admit it" The Doll offered kindly, attempting to stifle a chuckle.

The Doctor stared back at the Doll completely betrayed by her words, but couldn’t really say anything since even the other two Time Lords had plainly agreed with the Master’s considerations. Despite the strength of his character, he had to admit that the realisation stung, and it stung quite badly.

 "Let's go to the base" The Doctor declared annoyed, grabbing in a single swift movement the Master’s wrist in his hand so that he could drag his friend along before further recriminations. The other Time Lord followed him silently until they were safe inside the base, and then he freed himself to pointedly glare at the Doctor.

"So, just tell me what you think is better to do and let’s finish this up quickly" The Master offered serenely.

"You wouldn't fully agree to my plan” The Doctor complained, his tone harsher than he intended it to be. “And I'm not even sure that it would properly work"

"Well, you wouldn't agree to mine.” The Master pointed out. “Also, mine is not fool proof either"

"Then let's find one that it is" The Doctor argued, pouting guiltily at his friend.

"Discuss a plan _together_?" The Master asked plainly, not sure he had understood properly his friend's suggestion. "We don't have the time, Doctor"

"If we don't collaborate, we won't get a single brooch either” The Doctor explained eventually, knowing even before the reprimand came how out of chara his statement was. “So, what's the point in make a mess just to be quick?"

" _This_ has always been _my_ point.” The Master openly emphasized, his eyes glistening with pure satisfaction. “You go usually for ‘ _let's do things badly and dangerously but quickly’_ "

"Well, I admit you were right" The Doctor acknowledged grudgingly, unnerved by the Master’s elegant way of gloating.

"Why the change of hearts?" The Master asked suspiciously, his hands moving behind his back as he walked towards and around the Doctor like a snake measuring his prey.

"I think that's the whole point of the task" The Doctor confessed, eyeing his friend’s movements attentively. "And... Well, when you said I always over-imposed my plans on yours. It really didn't seem fair on you"

"And you’re all about fair. It _still_ is what we do" The Master offered him, stopping right in front of his friend, so that he could take a good look at the Doctor’s expression.

"Is what _I_ do and it feels horrible. I can forgive myself if you were attempting to aid some alien to conquer the Earth, but it can’t happen each and every time. It has to stop" The Doctor countered, crossing his arm on his chest and staring down at the Master. "Whenever we're on the same side or at least when we’re not on opposite sides, we need to work together properly. You're a genius, even our parents admitted that they have no better minds than ours"

"Are you complimenting me?” The Master asked, affecting pure shock. “Twice a day is a record"

"Compliment? Not really" The Doctor countered, shrugging and staring out of the window at the war field, where the mannequins had eventually begun moving around freely. "It's no real news that I always admired you, is just that our path diverged at a certain point... And even if I don't really understand how and why we had to go separate ways, that admiration still stands"

The Master swallowed, but couldn't find a single word to say back to the Doctor after those long awaited –and desired- words. He walked at the Doctor’s side and joined him in staring at the moving mannequins. For the second time that day, everything seemed to lead the Master to accept the idea that there could honestly be a chance for him to take before it became too late, a chance that wouldn’t necessarily destroy their already distraught friendship.

Maybe this was the core of their friends' plan and, if it was, he must really admit that Millennia was more apt in psychology that she'd ever been in time engineering. However, he still couldn't say to be ready to destroy what his world had become up until now, even though Rallon hadn't been wrong in his reading of the situation.

The Master had put what he wanted to show to the others between his feelings and the Doctor and, if even the Doctor was starting to recognize the weirdness of their ambiguous relationship, he hadn't even done a good job with it.

"They walk in couples: this could be problematic if we attempt to attack them individually." The Master offered, hoping to be at least productive. "We should try to understand how and if they can manage reason, in order to separate them"

"It takes too much time" The Doctor pointed out. "They are not fast and they are not really dangerous. If one of us could manage to sneak behind one and trap it the other could steal the brooch"

"Too green" The Master countered, staring up to the Doctor. "You have no idea what could mean three whole minutes in battle. If we do as you say, the second mannequin will be in time to shoot down the one up to steal the brooch, or even worse the both of us"

“We could knock out both of them”

“It will bring the attention of the others and they use long range weapons”

"What would you suggest, then?"

"What about deactivating their guns in the first place?" The Master offered eventually. “The other will have to get us by foot and we’ll have enough time to get the brooches”

"That might work" The Doctor recognised with satisfaction. He then started searching around the base for a map of the compound while the Master gathered all the sheets of paper he could find and some pencils. Then, both of them put all their findings on the table at the centre of the room they were in and started working with alacrity.

 

* * *

 

Outside the base and out of the war field, the War Chief stared restlessly at the small building, worried that no one had exited it even though almost an hour had gone by.

"Shouldn't we check on them? What if they are killing one another?" He asked to the other two Deca.

"I thought you hated the Doctor" The Doll simply teased him, smirking at her friend.

"Can I really hate someone who simply has a different idea of fun?" The War Chief asked rhetorically. "He really shouldn't have called for the Time Lords and he could have helped me with my plan instead of quickening its implosion, but I really couldn't have kept on the façade much longer. The War Lords were already closing up on me"

"He was punished too, so I can't really say he went out unscathed. If I let myself think clearly, I believe I can honestly deal with the annoyance, at least for the moment" The War Chief continued, heaving a sigh as he joined his hands behind his back and stared resolutely at the war field in front of him. "And besides, it is nothing different from what Koschei usually gets from him, and even now he keeps being infatuated with him"

"From ages ago" Rallon agreed with the War Chief, taking a deep breath. "And he keeps being stubborn: it’s since the Academy that I'm telling him to confess, and he still doesn't want to. Thete is an idiot, he will never understand unless told plainly"

"Poor Thete" The Doll countered, shaking her head at both her lover and at her friend. "You talk about him like this all the time, when he always just tries to do his best"

"We love Thete" Rallon hastened to add, smirking conspiratorially at the War Chief.

"Indeed. Still, he _is_ an idiot" The War Chief concluded, answering back Rallon's smirk before staring back at the barracks. "That's why I hope that we're really doing well with these challenges. I wouldn't really like end up doing more harm than good"

"It shouldn't happen anything harmful, the worst that can happen is that-" The Doll stopped midsentence as she noticed the Master and the Doctor finally exited the building they were hiding in.

The three of them could see the two fiancées running quickly on opposite sides, carefully answering the fire of the mannequins with their sonic screwdrivers.

"I hoped a better conclusion than this one considering how much time it took them" The Doll commented, sad at seeing her friends working separately and not together.

"I told you, they must have lost precious time fighting" The War Chief said, as he too followed with his eyes the Doctor and the Master’s rapid getting in and out from the barracks and lookouts.

 "You think so? This looks like a plan to me" Rallon pointed out, walking between The War Chief and the Doll to point towards a taller tower at the far back of the training ground. "They are converging to that point"

"There's nothing there, though" The War Chief countered worriedly, despite admitting that Rallon seemed to be right.

"Look, they have something in hand aside the sonic screwdrivers!" The Doll yelled at them, crashing against Rallon to point to the Master, physically nearer to them than the Doctor.

It took the two fiancées less than half an hour to reunite at the guard tower, right in time to trigger the force field that would have deactivated all the mannequins' weapons inside the field.

"Works perfectly" The Master commented, admiring his handiwork with satisfaction.

"Thanks to you" The Doctor congratulated him, his smirk devious yet completely sincere and complacent. "I would have never thought about using this outpost and refracted soundwaves to boost the signal"

"And I would have never thought about dismantling the base to get what we needed and fast forward the signal through the field reversing the polarity of the device frequencies we put inside each and every building" The Master admitted, allowing himself a small smile at the lingering feeling of complicity.

"We've less than an hour to get at least a brooch" The Doctor announced, checking the position of the suns. "I'll go forward and try to stop the nearest couple, you watch my back and get the brooches"

The Master swallowed as his eyes met with the Doctor's: this plan agreed with his sense of self-preservation, but not much with the weird instinct that wanted to keep the Doctor safe.

"Feeling particularly brave?" The Master teased, attempting nonchalance despite his hearts were racing in his chest for reasons he didn’t want to investigate. "You know, the small size you always tease me for might be an added bonus escaping between them"

"Are you offering to take my place?" The Doctor asked surprised, better used to the Master's way of phrasing things than the Master would have liked.

"Of course not, I was just pointing out something you might have missed" The Master countered, unnerved by the sharpness of the Doctor's mind. "I thought it was the main scope of all this charade"

"Thank you, then" The Doctor told him, smirking as he laid a friendly hand on the Master's shoulder and in doing so making him stop breathing altogether. "Still, your small stature is what I think we'll need to surprise the mannequins properly"

"Well, then" The Master capitulated, showing courteously the door of the guard tower to the Doctor. "Please, feel free to go and sacrifice yourself"

The Doctor chuckled and shook his head at the Master's antics, and then they both went outside to attempt to get at least a couple of brooches. Doing the physical part of the task was more complex than they both had thought at the beginning, especially considering how well the automatons could fight. Working together in securing the mannequins they had attacked, they managed to eventually tighten them up and finally get their brooches. Attempting to tackle down a second couple, however, the Doctor fell on his back and got hurt, leaving the Master to fight off alone the assault of dummies twice his height.

When they both were feeling like they were about to succumb to the automatons, the War Chief called out the task and the mannequins fell lifeless on the ground. With difficulty, the two Time Lords helped each other up as they waited for their friends.

"How are you?" The Doll asked worriedly, hugging both of them tightly as she checked them for injuries.

"A bit knackered" The Doctor admitted trying to massage his pained back.

"Leave that to me" The Master told him quietly, feeling his backbones and vertebras until he found the point he was searching for. With a quick zap of his sonic screwdriver on that precise point, he made the Doctor stretch up in shock and turn to stare surprised at him.

"What the heck are you doing?" He asked, his eyes large in confusion.

"Back therapy" The Master countered plainly, showing him the settings of his screwdriver. "At the right frequency works better than a chiropractor" 

"That's pure genius" The Doctor muttered in awe as he felt no more back pain after his friend's quick intervention. "I should really keep you by my side to help with my back, we're not getting any younger as it is"

"You really shouldn't" The Master countered embarrassedly, putting back inside his pocket the screwdriver. "What you should do, is to stop using that Venusian karate of yours"

"I do honestly think that keeping you is the best solution" The Doctor pointed out, letting his hip bounce against the Master to remark how he was plainly teasing him. "I need to use that if our enemies keep being this tall"

"This reminds me, why are these mannequins so tall?" The Master asked defiantly to the War Chief. "They were difficult to tackle down for the Doctor, for me-"

 "Would be nearly impossible" The War Chief confirmed, smirking evilly at him. "I really didn't want you to go off on your own, physical disadvantage seemed a good option as any"

"Endearing" The Doctor observed, stifling a chuckle along with the Doll and Rallon.

"I hate you guys" The Master concluded, giving his back to all his friends as they laughed freely at the War Chief's smart idea.

"C'mon, old chap" The Doctor told the Master eventually, resting an arm around his shoulders. "My former regeneration wasn't much taller than you"

"Don't old chap me, Doctor" The Master admonished proudly before freeing himself from the Doctor’s hold and turning to Rallon and the Doll. "Where are we heading now?"

"Follow me to theme park setting" Rallon answered him, showing him with his hand a small road to the opposite side of the building in which the Doll's office was located. "We'll explain the details of the second task as we have lunch"

"A theme park on Gallifrey?" The Doctor asked astonished.

"Setting" Rallon pointed out. "Mortimus and I made it. Everything is fictitious and obviously void of people except for us"

"I'll bid you farewell, then" The War Chief told them as they began to follow Rallon. "I snatched the promise to have lunch together with the Rani, and I have every intention of cashing in right away"

As the War Chief disappeared inside the tall building they had come from, all of the other Time Lords heaved a sigh.

"She must have lost a bet badly" The Master commented sadly. "Poor Magnus"

"At least he tries" Rallon pointed out, eyeing disapprovingly the Master.

"Shall we go?" The Doll interrupted them before the Doctor could ask what they were referring to. "The Monk is waiting for us"

**T.B.C.**


	4. Of games and gambles

An overly joyful Monk, who was still finishing the setting of their lunch, welcomed the four Time Lords as soon as they set foot in the Theme Park location.

The place where the Doctor and the Master had been led resembled an old style rural French alley, flanked by a series of buildings assembled with the same stones the large road was made with.

The white Victorian round table the Monk had arranged for their lunch was located right in the middle of the empty road and was full with enough food to feed the whole Deca. The table amidst the alley wasn't the only incongruous thing, though, since plenty of beautiful things had been spread all over the setting, from Renaissance garden decoration around the dining table to paintings and sculptures coming from different planets and time zones inside and outside the buildings.

"You sure went the extra mile for this" The Doctor told the Monk, watching each detail with attention and a peculiar sense of space-time estrangement. "I thought you wanted to play games"

"Who said that we need to play games in a white boring room?" The Monk said, trotting happily towards the Doctor. "Now, tell me. Isn’t all of this great?"

Seeing the pure happiness glistening into the Monk's eyes, the Doctor allowed himself to wonder why all his friends had to take joy from things that not only he didn’t share, but also he couldn't even understand. He had to admit, however, that he was exactly like them. Maybe, he just had a lower tolerance for his friends' weirdness than they had for his.

He usually had good reasons for it, though.

"Are all these things stolen?" The Doctor asked plainly, earning the Monk's sad pout for it.

"You never appreciate other people's efforts, do you Doctor? I wonder why the Master still willingly tries to put up with you" The Monk complained, resuming his cheerful attitude soon after. "But this time you will try my Parisian salads and smoked salmon, and you will just _have_ to change your prejudiced mind"

"I'm not prejudiced!" The Doctor countered deeply offended, earning the Master's open glare for it. "What?"

"You _are_ prejudiced, my dear" The Master explained pointedly, as he moved to take a seat at the dining table. "The Monk is right, for once you should just relax and enjoy your lunch"

"When did you become so amenable to these things?" The Doctor countered, hastening to get back to his side.

The Master looked at him with an unreadable expression on his face, before just stating plainly "Since I'm famished"

The Doctor rolled his eyes at the Master's comment, highly doubting that his friend had answered honestly, and sat down at the table next to him. Only then, he noticed that there was also a medieval silver chandler standing proudly amidst all the food.

"Don't worry, Thete, nothing of this is stolen" The Doll took her chance to explain, as she sat down between Rallon and the Master. "I won't say that's perfectly linear for us investing under false name, since we already know how the finance will play out on the different planets, but it _still_ is regularly earned money"

The Monk nodded visibly and proudly at the Doll’s description of his modus operandi, as he sat happily between the Doctor and Rallon.

"Let's start eating, shall we?" He encouraged his friends, beginning right away to help himself to his own plate, filled with salad, tuna and other finely shaped fruit and vegetables.

"You know, since it was all supposed to be part of the ' _getting you two comfortable togethe_ r' plan, I originally thought we could arrange this setting for a dinner for two. Paris, the City of Love and stuff like that" The Monk kept chatting on, happiness and self-realisation irradiating from him like the rays of the twin suns. "But the Doll said it was too early and that one thing was dinner and another was lunch. Still, I had all these beautiful things to put on show, and not doing that would just be shameful"

 "Getting us comfortable plan?" The Doctor asked confused as the Master wondered with his same tone of complain "Paris, City of Love?"

Rallon and the Doll rolled their eyes at the Monk's chatter, but focused on their own salad that, they had to admit it, was actually quite good.

"What do you think we're trying to do here?" The Monk reprimanded the two fiancées, staring back at them with disappointment. "Help you knowing one another better after you got engaged to _ease_ your way towards the wedding! And Paris is really lovely around the XIV century. Since the Doctor is obsessed with Earth it just seemed proper"

"Is this farce really so definitive?" The Doctor asked, ignoring the Monk and turning questioningly to the Doll, who swallowed harder than she ought her food at being addressed on that topic.

"I already told you, Thete: if our attempts fail, we can just help you escape the marriage" The Doll explained miserably. "No matter what we do, you will still be engaged. Your parents already signed all the needed papers and all the needed authorizations should have been granted by now"

"Then how are these games supposed to help?" The Master asked suspiciously, glancing from friend to friend as he completely stopped eating his own salad. "They are not some weird kind of mushy romance games until now"

"We don't really think that you need us to fall in love with one another" The Doll answered them bluntly, the reason of her statement willingly left unspoken. "We just want to give you the chance to get comfortable with the notion that, if you want to be together, well, you can. And we will all be fine with it. You two included, in our opinion"

"We prepared two against two games for this afternoon" Rallon took his chance to explain. "They are mostly mind games, but we also chose something easier to play that is just intended to relax you. Let’s say that we aim to recreate different situations in which there is the challenges you always loved, but without the moral problems you usually end up fighting over"

"Quite different from the Toymaker's ordeal, then" The Doctor noted, not really knowing what to think of the whole situation so explained.

"Because I'm not the Toymaker, even though I have eventually discovered that I like playing those kind of games" Rallon admitted calmly. "I still don't like losing, but play together _with_ my friends I hope that it _does_ even it out. For me and for you, obviously"

"I already told you, you should use the name" The Monk countered cheerfully hoping to lighten the topic as he stood up to get the smoked salmon and serve a piece of it to everyone and then to himself. "You will give the name a new meaning, like Doll did"

Rallon didn't answer to the Monk's suggestion and just kept eating in silence while, from beneath the table, the Doll kindly left a reassuring caress on his tight.

"Everything is good, you know Mortimus? You should invest in your cooking skills and become the official caterer of your renegade friends" The Master attempted to change definitively the topic of the discussion, much to Rallon and the Doctor's relief.

From there on, lunch went on without any other trouble, despite the deep discomfort that had dawned on the Doctor and the Master at the realisation that the current endeavour couldn't really be without consequences. Being Time Lords, they were certain that not even death would ever save them from this mess and, in the specific case of the Doctor, not even his father's. Even if he hadn't chosen to be a renegade, the next in the succession line was his older brother, who certainly had no real reason to dissolve the engagement.

And why should any of his house help him out?

Oakdown was powerful and resourceful, but it was also deeply involved in all sort of Machiavellian schemes, from complicated and harmless to dangerous and barely legal. Or pretty much legal, if one knew how to bend the rules to their own will. The Master was a perfect product of it, combined with an intellect so fierce and refined that he could have been its leader, if there wasn’t the disgrace of his madness and his unruly behaviour, something that could easily make him an enemy of his own family.

His own house, instead, had only the name to account for its existence, but it still was a name of not insignificant value. Being one of the upper-class oldest houses, it was granted a deference from everyone that nothing had been able to erase, not even their sympathy for the human race.

Oakdown wanted to be considered worldwide trustworthy, Lungbarrow wanted to be back into the higher political games.

Regrettably, the two houses were so opposite in views and methods that they plainly distrusts one another, and no sensible member of either family wished to sacrifice themselves to the higher cause of mutual help.

Still, the proposition of the High Council had offered them the perfect solution to their problem. In all probability, after their fathers had finished yelling and complaining against the deal, they themselves must have wondered why they hadn’t thought about it before, on their own accord.

Not only their sons knew one another very well but also, being both of them renegades, they could basically enjoy the pleasures of a political agreement without the risk of having actual people of the other house in their own.

And on a certain point of view, the Doctor and the Master would be fine with it; Millennia had been right on that one. Their being inseparable had fallen apart and they had become enemies, but the Doctor’s proposal of escaping together, during the Axons ordeal, had come out from a desire that he honestly still held in his hearts. And certainly so did the Master, since he had genuinely accepted.

Maybe that was why the Doctor had eventually attempted to trick the Axons without even trying to convince the Master to help him though his plan, because there was a slight chance that the Master would say yes to that too.

And then they would have had to sincerely make an attempt at coexisting together once again.

And that would have turned the Doctor crazy, because he wasn’t even near to be ready to see the Master every day, with all the doubts and fears he still held in his hearts. Not even a day had passed since they were brought back forcefully on their planet and coerced to share their lives together, but he was already so confused about his feelings that he could barely remember why they had gone separate ways in the first place.

And still he had to endure this because of their fathers, their houses and the whole planet.    

Bloody houses and bloody traditions, why couldn't they be heir of their own houses like Magnus was? He certain wasn't doing any good to himself with the power he held around his own neck.

Thankfully, the pleasant afternoon made them completely forget their current predicament. The Monk's enthusiasm was contagious and Rallon had truly treasured the game knowledge that came to him from hundreds years serving as the Toymaker's body.

Trivia, board games, guess games and even some kind of recreational conundrums they had never heard about were just too enticing and funny to just keep sulking about their inevitable marriage and their fathers’ machinations. The War Chief's task, moreover, turned out to be a precious first lesson for them, since it had put them in the right frame of mind to find their own way to go at the different games they were presented with.

Things hadn't really changed that much, all things considered, since even as enemies the Doctor and the Master’s way of perfectly come to the other's intellectual aid was timely and perfectly coordinated. Still, as allies from the beginning, it really seemed to be a different kind of mental approach that had to be put in place. As the Doctor had pointed out that morning, his plans needed the Master from the beginning as the Master's plans needed the Doctor.

They had kept doing that even as enemies, but it was true: usually one forced his hand on the other. And it was something that, now that the Doctor had realised he was doing that, he just felt couldn’t stand. He had the damn right to call idiots everyone in the universe except the Master.

Oh, how had made the Doctor happy when the Master had hinted that he could be his equal, and how disappointed he had been when he had added that ‘ _almost’_. Still, the Doctor felt it was an ‘ _almost’_ well earned.

The real problem, overall, appeared to actually be the fact that neither the Doctor nor the Master could accept their friend’s good will to help just for the sake of it. Being both of them quite arrogant and full of themselves, this open disposition they still held for one another honestly seemed the most difficult thing to accept, even more than admitting that their genius alone didn’t suffice for the big ambitions they both lived for.   

Recalibrating their different personalities during the War Chief's task had been quite difficult, but they both were quick learners and... Well, they just had to remember how they did it. As young boys, give or take some individual shenanigan, everything was conceived and put into action together.

The first game - four way four-dimensional chess - was a complete loss as the Monk and Rallon easily annihilated their small armies of pawns. The two fiancées, however, acquired a bit of self-esteem later on, after they managed to earn a draw at the following two trivia and card game. From that moment onwards, despite Rallon and the Monk's best efforts, they won everything else.

More than having reached a new level of knowledge of one another, it was like they had finally gotten back that quick complicity that had lain rusted under all the last years of open animosity.

The second sun was already setting when the Monk, unnerved by how quickly the Doctor and the Master had devised a strategy to corner him and Rallon during the last water bomb fight, decided to give up the game in favour of revenge. Acting with cunning deviousness, he filled two big buckets with water and, with the help of his portable dematerialising device, he managed to empty them over his two overly bragging friends.

The sly move left everyone else in a shocked silence.

The first to recover was Rallon who, seeing the scene of the two – until then – perfectly dry Time Lords thoroughly showered, started to laugh at the scene harder than ever.  The Master and the Doctor followed suit, and then even the Doll, who took her chance to declare the last game of the afternoon finished, and the Doctor and the Master as winners.

"Thanks, Rallon" The Doctor told him after he had managed to take a break from laughing, smiling kindly at his friend. "We had a wonderful time, we'd missed all this"

Rallon just took a moment to look at the Master, who was ready to back up the Doctor in his thanks to the other Time Lord.

“The Doctor is right, Rallon.” The Master admitted. “It has been a long time since we managed to have this much fun without physical repercussions”

The Doctor stared down at the Master reproachfully, but soon the Master stared back at him, smirking teasingly at him, and his lips involuntarily curved into a smile. Quite some time had passed since the last time their relationship had been so uncomplicated.

“Thanks, Rallon” The Master concluded plainly, as his eyes turned back towards the other Time Lord.

Before anyone could expect it, Rallon took his chance to just run towards his friends and hug them tightly.

"I missed this too" He told them almost on the verge of crying. "I had almost forgotten that games were supposed to be fun, especially when you play with your friends"

"Hey! What about me?" The Monk complained, pouting miserably at his friends as he glared at them, his hands on his hips to appear a bit more menacing.

Rallon, the Master and the Doctor turned to face him and to laugh at his antics, then they opened up a spot for him to join the hug.

"Thanks, Mortimus" The Doctor announced. "I admit I've been prejudiced about you"

“I won’t admit anything” The Master declared instead. “But if you want to join the hug, I think this is your last chance”

The Monk didn't allow his friends to say anything more and he readily trotted towards them to join the hug under the relieved smile of a happy Doll. After the hug ended, however, Rallon took his chance to go back to his girlfriend and hold her petite hands in his darker ones.

"I'm sorry, Millennia, I always make you worry, back when I was the Toymaker and even now" He told her kindly, staring deeply in her relieved blue eyes. "I was so focused on crying over myself that I couldn’t see all you were trying to do for me. If you will ever forgive me... Just know I love you"

"Everything is in the past, I already told you" She offered him, barely managing to stop the tears flowing down her cheeks. "I love you too, Rallon. I missed you"

“I’m back” He reassured her, laughing at his own realisation. “I really am”

“Oh, Rallon” She admonished him tenderly, and then shyly closed her eyes, offering her lips to her boyfriend.

Rallon was quick to get the hint and bend down over her to kiss her warm lips with his humid cold ones, as his wet hands barely caressed her skin and droplets of water fell from his hair down her cheeks, mixing with the tears she eventually couldn’t hold back.

As he stared at his two friends kissing, the Master couldn't stop thinking at what Rallon had told him that morning.

All things considered, it looked like Rallon had successfully erased what was left between him and Millennia of the Toymaker, in the end, but what about him and the Doctor? He had never been as strong as Rallon, and the Doctor – genial as he was – had never been as perceptive as Millennia.

"I'm glad they finally worked it out" The Monk commented, drying a lone tear on his cheek.

The Doctor nodded at the Monk's words as he stared kindly and almost nostalgically at his friends.

Feeling a light amount of hope surging in his chest, the Master moved closer to the Doctor's side and slightly leaned against his arm. It was well in the realm of what they did - small little gestures that weren't neither friendly nor like what lovers did - still, it was also an attempt to say something, something that no matter how much good will their friends could put into this, the Master knew he would never be able to say aloud.

The Doctor, feeling the light weight of the Master on his arm, looked down at his friend and smiled at him before he could even attempt to understand why he was so glad that the Master had searched his contact.

Well, they were best friends, weren't they? Still, now more than ever, he couldn't stop thinking about what the Rani and Millennia had told them... Now, more than ever, he felt as if he missed a well important piece of information, but what was it? Why did he seemed to be the only one not understanding what information was amiss?

And why his missing piece of information seemed to be also the answer to his centuries old attempts to escape the Master’s proximity?

Deciding it was a too good day to ruin it with overthinking, the Doctor just let his arm curl around the Master’s waist, holding him closer to him. Maybe, also the problem they were in could only be solved if they managed to work together.

 

* * *

 

When the Doctor and the Master managed to get back to their room, they both took long turns in the shower to warm themselves up after the cold-water assault after second sunset. When they were both once again dry and dressed in loose clothes, they found themselves unable even to think about eating. They were both tired and confused by the events of the day, so much that they weren’t even certain they could attempt to talk it out with their friend in fear to do or say something that would irremediably compromise them.

After a quick exchange of information about the following day with the Doll, she ordered for them some quick and easy to ingest synthetic food for which Gallifrey was infamous.

They went to sleep soon after, laying one against the other and ready to wait for sleep to finally claim them. They rested like that for a while, until the Master turned to face the wall, offering his back to the Doctor.

The Doctor's blue eyes opened to slits as he took his time to check out his friend's tanned shoulders, peeking out from the soft fabric of the sheets that covered them. The words they had shared that morning came back to his mind and he felt plain confusion descending over him. Even without his closeted uniform, he could still call the Master way of dressing cute, even when it consisted of just a sleeveless shirt and a pair of boxers.

Except that a plain white sleeveless shirt and a pair of boxes weren't cute by any fashion standard.

The sick doubt that it was the Master and not his way of dressing the thing he defined cute started to make a room for itself inside his mind. It was too late and the Doctor was too tired to let the realisation sink in, though. Therefore, he just shortened the distance between the two of them and tightened his arms around his friend the same way they did as children, when one of them needed reassurance.

He didn't know if the Master needed it at the moment - probably he did, considering the unsure and confused stares that he had kept giving him during the whole day. Koschei had always been the one that needed constant reassurances, more than anyone else did, both about his family and about himself, therefore this situation couldn’t have left him unscathed.

And even though the Master didn’t want it, it was the Doctor that now craved it more than anything else. Therefore, he got closer and held him tight in his arms, bringing the Master’s back flushed against his chest and his head right beneath his chin. The dark haired Time Lord was so warm and his presence so soothing to his shaken nerves, that all the Doctor’s worries seemed to disappear as work of magic.

So reassured, he barely managed to wish the Master goodnight before falling deeply asleep, not even noticing how his friend had instead completely frozen up in his arms.

The Master, actually, had been just about to fall asleep when the Doctor had taken the bold decision of spooning against him.

Something that as children was relaxing and comforting, had now waken him up abruptly, as his hearts stopped in his chest and his respiratory by-pass activated.  What was worse was that also other parts of his body were expressing an interest in the new position, as if they were waiting that moment of innocent kindness to remember the Master that it wasn't just the Doctor's unconditional love he wanted.

Despite the desperate distress and panic passing through his whole body, the Master couldn't move and couldn't escape, having realised all too soon that his friend had already fallen asleep. As a result, he could only prepare himself to the longest sleepless night of his life as he swore against all the odds that were piling up against him.

**T.B.C.**


	5. A Prydonian conundrum

Despite the hearts attack of the night before, the Master found himself too tired to keep up the drama until morning. It had taken more time his weary body had wished for to him before falling asleep, but eventually he had succumbed to the power of Morpheus. 

Nevertheless, it was way before the first sunrise that the door of their room was busted open and a quite evil looking Vansell stared down at the two sleeping Time Lords, still tangled together. The Master instinctively tried to extricate himself from the strange position they had been found in, whilst the Doctor just clung tighter to his Master Teddy Bear.   

"Doctor?" The Master protested, thinking that his friend was still asleep and unaware of the circumstances. “We’re not alone, you’re supposed to release me”

"I don't want to get up, it’s before the first sunrise" The Doctor eloquently protested instead, his voice muffled by the Master's hair.

"How cute." Vansell gloated seeing the scene. "And here I worried that I had to put you through a little worse than I intended to make you two capitulate."

"Vansell, just tell us what you wanted to say and then take your leave, will you?" The Master complained, giving up any intention to care for his respectability and simply relaxing in the Doctor's tight embrace. "It’s night."

"It’s the proper hour for a Prydonian student to get up and ready for his studies" Vansell drawled, smirking down evilly at the couple. "First lesson start in a hour, precisely right after the first sunrise"

"We never went to the first lesson of the day exactly _because_ it was right after the first sunrise" The Doctor objected, clinging even more to the Master as he plainly glared at Vansell. "What makes you think we'll start now with you?"

A couple of flashes lightened the room as Vansell snickered with satisfaction. Both the Doctor and the Master sat up to stare at him worriedly, fearing what was about to come.

"Fail to show up in the fake classroom down to corridor to the left and these pictures will be readily sent to your parents as proof that you are ready to marry before noon" 

"You bastard" The Master seethed in rage.

"You teach me that blackmail is just a way like the others to get what you want, the only difference is that it gives better results" Vansell objected plainly, smiling down at them, pleased with their reaction. "I'll be waiting."

That said, he put in the safety of his pocket the pen-shaped device he had used to take his friend’s photos and disappeared outside the room, leaving both fiancées to grumble at his evil plan.

"Bloody Vansell" The Doctor cursed against his friend, eventually standing up to go searching for the Prydonian robes they had noticed before inside the wardrobe.

"I can't really say anything, I would have bloodily done the same" The Master pointed out matter-of-factly as he himself started getting ready for the day.

The Doctor let himself thinking about his friend’s statement for a moment, before deciding that he agreed with the Master.

"You would have done it, indeed.” The Doctor acknowledged. “Me too, by the way"

"Ooh, so there's a bit of Deca left in you" The Master teased him, as soon as he had finished ordering breakfast for the both of them.

"My exile on Earth and our current predicament should already testimony my being a troublemaker" The Doctor countered, swearing loudly as he attempted to put on the red tights of the Prydonian attire. "This outfit is ominous, in colour and style"

"It was unbecoming while we were young, now as adults it’s just plainly ridiculous" The Master agreed, looking disgusted at his own reflection in the mirror.

"Is there something you wanted to tell me about yesterday?" The Doctor asked nonchalantly, hoping that the Master would fall for the trap. If the day was going to go on like the one before, he only had the mornings to attempt uncovering that information the Doll had told them about.

The Master stopped grimacing at the mirror and stared back at the Doctor unable to say even the smallest excuse for his mixed behaviour. The Doctor answered his friend’s stare with his unsure one as he waited for the Master to talk to him, despite knowing too well that it was a too direct question to get a proper answer.

Still, even the Master’s silence alone demonstrated that there was actually something that his best friend was hiding from him.

"I don't know what you're talking about" The Master answered eventually, and then thanked all the Gods he knew when there was a knock on the door and he could use getting their breakfast as an excuse to do something that wasn't staring in silence at the Doctor.

The fair-haired Time Lord attempted to resume their conversation, but time was really running short for them, since they had to rush through breakfast and everything else before running out of their room to reach the fake classroom.

When they put their feet on the threshold just in the nick of time, they saw Vansell staring back at them, dressed like the teachers they had at the Academy and smirking in pure evil awe.

"This really brings me back to the old times" He teased them, sitting up from the desk to properly accommodate himself behind the teacher’s desk. "Please, have a sit and I'll explain you the calendar of this short _Going Back To School_ task"

"Look, we didn't pay attention to our lessons back then, what makes you think we'll listen to yours?" The Doctor rebelled against his friend, snorting at him in annoyance as he and the Master kept stubbornly standing.

"We won't really explain theory, just the basics of what you need to do and know" Vansell explained, as he pushed a button on his desk.

That had apparently been the signal for Jelpax to come inside the fake classroom. He too was dressed like a teacher, even though he looked like he was way less pleased than his friend by the situation.

"I'm really sorry, guys" Jelpax muttered in a low voice, in spite of the glare he was receiving from Vansell.

"We're not renegades like you two, we have work to do and we cannot be expected to wait for you to come to _The Shocking Conclusion_ " Vansell clarified for everyone, annoyed by how the whole situation was turning out to be and by Jelpax’s lack of collaboration in humiliating their friends. "Despite that, we thought that you lack important information to function as proper Time Lords, that’s why you’re back in school"

Before the Doctor and the Master could yell in anger at his insinuations, Jelpax pre-emptied them showing some images from their own escapades on the digital whiteboard. Since it appeared to be a quite long slideshow, the two fiancées took their chance to actually sit at the desks arranged for them.

"Research has shown that the Doctor has serious problems manoeuvring the TARDIS and that the Master has an incomplete knowledge in xeno-culture" Jelpax explained, at first showing a collection of the Doctor’s worst landings and then a sequence of clips in which the Master had plainly done the wrong thing relating with an alien race. Human beings seemed to have been vastly included. "We, however, noticed that every problematic situation turns out to be well balanced when you happen to cooperate, since the Master is a good pilot and a terrific mechanic and the Doctor resourceful as well as experienced in alien cultures"

Jelpax continued showing a third row of slides and scenes, that now displayed various cases in which the two fiancées had worked together and everything had gone well in the end. Both of them took their chance to exchange a meaningful glance when, among everything else, appeared also some scenes inherent to the Master’s first attempt to control the Nestene, the Keller’s machine ordeal and the Axons’ invasion of Earth.

When he thought he had shown them enough to make their point, Jelpax turned off the digital whiteboard and quietly flanked Vansell behind the teachers’ desk.

"We wanted to suggest you a study group for today" He concluded. "Tomorrow we'll test your progress and see if you have worked well together"

"Have I heard correctly? Are you saying that we're free all the rest of the day?" The Master asked suspiciously.

"You slack off and the pictures will be sent to your parents for immediate marriage" Vansell threatened pointedly. "Besides, you won't go back to your room until tomorrow. You can make use of this fake class and the following three adjoining rooms: a fake library, a fake dormitory and a fake canteen. The fake canteen works enough to actually provide you with something to eat and, eventually, a different choice of scenario"

"What's the penalty if we fail?" The Master asked, a mocking edge in the tone of his voice. "You show the pictures you took this morning to our parents? Is that how you plan to keep us in order the whole time?"

"I must mention for your safety that the TARDIS piloting room might not be a real TARDIS but is still very well done" Jelpax pointed out in a small voice. "If you crash, you might really die... I would suggest you two to do proper studying"

"You can't be serious" The Doctor countered, alarmed by the news. "I’m certain that the Doll knows nothing of this, am I wrong?"

"I asked permission to your parents" Vansell answered him cheerfully, smirking back at the Doctor. "Your father was enthusiastic knowing that you might learn a bit more about piloting a TARDIS properly"

"You bastard" The Doctor muttered through his gritted teeth, as the Master stared back at him in discomfort and put a considerate hand on his friend’s forearm.

"We're just doing what's best for the safety of the universe, both teaching you how to properly behave and also to finally bring to a conclusion this thing between the two of you. It’s almost so old to be ridiculous"

"Why don't you just say that if we stop wreaking havoc around the universe you will have much more time to follow your power schemes?" The Master butted in, both in anger against Vansell's way of talking down on them and in a desperate attempt not to allow the Doctor to focus too much on the last words that their friend had said about their relationship.

"Oh, well, there's that" Vansell admitted shamelessly, grinning back at the Master whilst Jelpax just glared back at him.

"Learn properly how to drive a TARDIS and how to deal with different races is the least that's required of them, if they really wish to stay renegades, power dynamics are not to interfere in scholars' work" Jelpax protested heatedly, his quiet glare then turning from Vansell to the two fiancées. "And you can come back on Gallifrey at any time; you don't need to wreak havoc around the galaxies only to be brought back here forcefully. If you mistrust Vansell, just come back here more frequently to check on him!"

All the other three Time Lords stared at Jelpax, astonished by his choice to speak out his mind clearly for once. Among all of them, he had always been the one less inclined to create disasters and the main reason why he had been considered _bad_ enough to be a Deca was his interest in areas of research that were utterly and foremost hidden or prohibited. He also had the tendency to give away the results of his research freely, but aside that no one could really say he caused any problem per se.

Outside the stiff, dusty and old Time Lord civilization, he would have just been considered a profitable member of the society. The strength of will to say to his superiors the equivalent of ‘ _fuck off I study what I want_ ’ and his brilliance was what that had made Jelpax an accepted member of the Deca, something that they all usually too easily forgot, just because he was the quietest of them all.

Vansell was the first to go and congratulate himself with Jelpax for finally having the courage to tell them off, but soon also the Doctor and the Master stood up to recognise his valour as a troublemaker. Jelpax, on his end, just stared at them with an expression that spoke _'I hate you_ ' in volumes.

When all the drama had finally ended, everyone went back to their seats and Jelpax was finally able to pinpoint the most important topics the two fiancées were supposed to learn.

"About what the Master is required to learn" Jelpax explained competently. "We'll test you on the third section of the sixth module, the one labelled ' _Courtesies'_. Keep an eye open especially for the paragraphs and chapters in which is explained the best way to gather consent"

"Bullshit, I'm literally the master of gathering consent” The Master took his chance to complain. “Besides, that section alone is 20 books: how am I supposed to study everything before tomorrow?"

"We had exams that required also 50 books, but that never made you open the first one before the day preceding the test" Vansell reasoned in their defence, affecting plain annoyance. "Moreover, I remembered that you had barely passed that module, so I sent Jelpax to collect the answers you gave back then... Do you want to be properly shamed?"

Vansell didn't wait for the Master's response before gesturing to Jelpax to get the test he was talking about. The quieter Time Lord retrieved it and then quickly examined the sheets to find out the section about xeno-courtesies. The printed papers were then put between the Doctor and the Master, so that they could both evaluate the work of a young Koschei.

Knowing perfectly well what he had written, the Master just looked elsewhere, whilst the Doctor, after having quickly surveyed his answers just turned to glare at his best friend.

" _Distract them and hypnotize them_? Really, Master?" He reprimanded him.

"That's all you need to have consent from inferior races" The Master countered irately, still staring proudly at the wall to his right.

"Oh, well, and what if it doesn't work?” The Doctor kept pestering him. “Not everyone is susceptible to hypnosis, is a fact universally known"

"Kill them, as easy as that" The Master plainly answered, his challengingly stare turning abruptly to the Doctor, who just rolled his eyes and gave the papers back to Jelpax.

"I can't believe you actually passed the test at all"

"I have to mention that the part about alien weapons of mass destruction was really well made” Jelpax pointed out, coming to the Master's rescue as he put away his old tests. “Even Magnus was astonished at the details included"

"Wait, were you all having fun looking at my old tests from the Academy?" The Master argued disheartened.

"That was the main reason why we had them printed in the first place" Vansell teased him, despite stating the unadulterated truth.

Vansell and the Master took their time to throw daggers through their eyes at one another, until Jelpax coughed quietly to get the attention of the classroom back on him. 

"As for the Doctor's case study" He continued quietly. "We decided on emergency manoeuvres: the last section of the driving module. As I told you before, the test will be practical"

"You _do_ realise that's suicidal, don’t you? Most of what I know is about my TARDIS and she’s an ancient model. The last section is almost all about the new ones" The Doctor complained meaningfully.

"The basics are the same, trust us" Jelpax answered sternly at him. "Besides, everything will be set to manual, so the differences would be really minimal"

"Everything to manual?" The Doctor countered, this time completely in shock. "You can't pilot a TARDIS alone like that!"

"We forgot to tell you" Vansell butted in, each time more satisfied seeing the fiancées desperation raising. "You will take the tests together. Obviously, cheating is prohibited, but we're sure you will even out your respective defects nonetheless"

The Doctor and the Master stared pensively at one another, but waited for their friends to give them a written copy of the lists of topics they were supposed to learn and then leave them alone before debating the task.

“I’m sorry” The Doctor prompted sheepishly.

“What about?” The Master asked him annoyed, as he gathered some pen and pencils in case they would be needed.

“Well, it’s because I might kill the both of us that you have to study too”

“Something that can’t be helped since we’re in this together” The Master concluded quietly, unwilling to let the discussion move too forward, since he still feared the Doctor’s attempts to reprise the discussion he had avoided in their room.

"What are we going to do, then?" The Doctor asked uncomfortably, feeling his friend closing him off in any possible way.

"We'll cram, as we used to" The Master answered him matter-of-factly, taking his list of topics and directing himself towards the fake library.

The Doctor took his own list and followed the Master, but even as he was collecting his own books, he still kept wondering what was the point in making them study something that they had never managed to learn even at school. Vansell certain wanted to irritate them and Jelpax took learning things seriously, but the whole ordeal had also been approved as therapeutic by the rest of the Deca.

With his mind still filled with doubts, the Doctor took with him all the books he could fit in his arms and then followed the Master to the fake dormitory.

As he entered the bedroom, he could do nothing more than recognising that it truly resembled the room he and the Master had shared for quite some time at the Academy, something that filled his hearts with pure nostalgia despite his better judgement.

There was a bunkbed on the right and two neatly organised desks on the left, two wardrobes at the two sides of the window in front of the door and two smaller cabinets on the opposite sides, all in irritating shades of red and orange. It honestly was a big flashback into their Prydonian years as Vansell had announced at the beginning, no doubt about it.

The Doctor wanted to share his doubts and feelings about the arrangements with the Master, but as he turned to stare at him, he noticed that he had already taken his usual cram position: back to the right edge of the lower bed and knees bent in front of himself to sustain the book he was currently studying. The rest of his books were stacked in a neat pile on the floor next to him.

Nothing seemed to have changed, not even the strange feeling that constricted the Doctor’s hearts seeing such a smart Time Lord absorbing notions in such a limited amount of time. Whenever he didn't have to cram together with Koschei, he easily ended up staring at his friend in awe for hours and he would hardly notice him.

He usually reserved such long stares for the times they were together alone in their room, but sometimes he fell so much in their routine that it happened also when they had study group with the rest of the Deca. No wonder that now their friends had decided to stand by the Council as soon as they had decided to marry them off to one another.

He had to cram too this time, however, therefore the Doctor just mirrored the Master's position, leaning with his back to the left edge of the lower bed, his knees pressing against his friend's ones as he started reading his first book.

It was already lunchtime when the Doctor decided that his head was about to explode and that the day after he was certainly going to kill both of them. If theirs had been a single regeneration engagement – something he highly doubted about considering their recent deaths rate – this knowledge would have solved all their problems. 

"I'm going to get some sandwiches from the canteen, do you want something?" The Doctor asked to the Master as he got out of the bed and stretched his sore muscles.

When no answer came from his friend, the Doctor stared back at him and, without much surprise, he could only register the fact that the Master had fallen asleep upon his third book. Overall, he regarded it as an improvement, since the last time they had to study xeno-courtesies Koschei had fallen asleep halfway the first one.

The Doctor, heaving a sigh at the whole situation, decided to follow through his original plan, bringing with him a couple more sandwiches for the Master anyway. After he got back with their food, he left everything on one of the desks and then stared once again back at his fiancé to decide a proper course of action.

Why change what had always served him well, though?

Therefore, the Doctor took away from the Master's lax hands the book he had been reading and set it aside, not even bothering to leave a sign to mark where he had been reading. He then reached with one hand his friend’s cheek and stroke it lightly, murmuring quietly his name to try waking him up.

The Master muttered quietly something back that the Doctor couldn't really understand, but gave no other sign of waking up. Since he had no intention of yelling at him – he didn’t want to startle him awake and risk worsening the drumbeats in his head – the Doctor just decided to up the ante.

It was uncomfortable having to crouch down under the bed on the top, even though the dimensions of the bunkbeds were calibrated for two grown men and the Master didn't occupy much space anyway. He straddled the Master's waist with his arms and shifted so that the upper part of his body was towering over the other Time Lord’s, their foreheads and noses almost touching. Only then he resumed the tentative touch to his cheeks and tried once again to get his attention back to this world.

"Koschei, c'mon" The Doctor pleaded, affecting his voice the same way he did at the Academy. "Wake up, it's lunch time and we still have to cram. I don't really want to kill you tomorrow during the TARDIS driving test"

The association of the Doctor's voice to the words _driving_ and _TARDIS_ appeared to have been what was needed to actually wake up the Master. Unfortunately, as soon as he opened his eyes, he found in front of himself the clear blue ones of the Doctor, who was still staring kindly at him, That, associated with the distinct feeling of his best friend’s soft hand stroking his cheek, set the Master’s whole being into pure panic.

A mix of different feelings and instincts crossed the his body and mind: fear, surprise and need were just the basics around which his fretting mind constructed even more anxieties while his body just suggested to him to give up any pretence of friendship and close the few inches left between their lips.

"Why do you _always_ have to do this!?" The Master yelled at the Doctor eventually, attempting to put some distance between the two of them and, in doing so, hitting his head against the upper bed.

"I wouldn't have to wake you up, if you just stopped falling asleep" The Doctor answered quietly not really understanding what all the fuss was about but retreating slightly to give him enough space to move.

"There are plenty of ways to wake someone up, don't you know?" The Master countered, failing miserably to keep the heat from reaching his tanned cheeks. "Hover over your friend is not really the one any sensible mind would suggest"

"I wasn't hovering, I was being nice" The Doctor disputed, pouting annoyed at the Master as if no time had passed from the last time they had this same conversation. He eventually sat back on the edge of the bed, leaving the Master free to sit down properly next to him, back against the wall. Then, he got up, took a couple of sandwiches and sat even closer to his friend, offering him one of them.

"This thing is not working" The Doctor declared after the first couple of bites.

The Master briefly thought that, on his opinion, Vansell’s plan was working perfectly, but then he realised that the Doctor was certainly talking about learning the due material and not getting him sexually frustrated enough that he would confess to the Doctor. He had closed his mind before thinking that, right? Considering that the Doctor hadn't even bulged, probably.

"You mean?" The Master asked eventually.

"What has all our friends' tasks been about? Make us cooperate." The Doctor clarified. "Why should this one be different? We have two topics to prepare: one I like and you hate, the other I hate and you like"

"Yes, but we'll be tested on the one we hate" The Master pointed out meekly, nibbling at his own sandwich.

"I do love xeno-courtesies, though. I could teach you the basics you need to know before the test tomorrow" The Doctor offered. "It would be a better use of my time, since I'll never manage to learn how to do a proper landing with a standard TARDIS"

"Landing has its tricks, you need to feel what she wants by hand. Even the most modern TARDIS answers more to her connection with the Time Lord piloting her than to the complicated procedure learnt in school: study that on books is overrated" The Master observed, realising the actual meaning of the Doctor's proposition only that moment. "I could teach you" He concluded, with a sneaky grin on his lips.

The Doctor smirked gratefully back at him and offered him a second sandwich as he took the last one for himself. Then, he retrieved their lists of topics and the fifth book from the Master’s pile, and sat in the same position the Master had occupied before. The Master lain next to him, almost enclosed in his embrace because of the small space at their disposal, and stared in awe as the Doctor searched the summary page he had in mind and began explaining him the _do_ and _don’ts_ of proper intergalactic etiquette.  

 

* * *

 

At the end of it all, the Master couldn’t give any rating to the experience: it had been the worst of hell and the best of heaven all mixed together. They had learned their material properly, that was true – and hell, if they had done this from the beginning they could have slacked off more and even get better grades - but his whole system had been left in a chaos.

Being held by the Doctor had been wonderful and he couldn‘t tell if he had appreciated more his warm tone of voice or his absolutely brilliant ways to remember the boring subject. As a student, moreover, the Doctor had – shockingly – listened attentively what the Master was explaining and actually presented some interesting points.

All of this had made his hearts ache in a manner he had never allowed himself to since they had gotten separate ways, his respiratory by-pass was now always active and he was harder than ever. His only luck was that the position they had cuddled in didn’t allow the Doctor to actually take notice of his problem.

Dealing with hiding his problem under Prydonian robes during their pause for dinner exhausted all the Master’s remaining wits, so he had been more than happy when they had resumed the position they had laid in during the whole afternoon for a last round of cram. After-dinner cram usually ended up with both of them sharing the same bed - Theta’s - meaning that, if today was anything like the usual, he wouldn’t have to make it up the ladder to reach his own on the top, and therefore the Doctor would never risk noticing his distress.

Vansell had really been right: it was just like no time had passed at all since the Academy.

Bloody Vansell. The Master could have done it at least without the continuous UST he had kept subjecting himself to.

“Are you listening to me, Master?” The Doctor asked at a certain point, staring questioningly at his friend.

“Uhm?” The Master answered, realising that the he had almost fallen asleep while the Doctor was talking. It wasn’t really his fault if the topic was still boring and the Doctor’s voice and body warmth soothing and coaxing. “Sorry, I think I’ve reached my limit for today”

The Doctor smiled kindly at him and put away the two lists of topics and the books they had been using, before lying more comfortably on what they had mutually agreed that was his bed.

“You are sleeping here, aren’t you” He told him. It wasn’t a question nor a reprimand, just a simple statement, like the only possible answer to it was ‘ _Yes, of course_ ’  

And “Yes, of course” the Master answered indeed, making himself comfortable as he lain fully on the bed and got closer to the Doctor. “Goodnight, Doctor”

“Goodnight, Koschei” The Doctor answered instead and, much to his friend’s surprise, he left an innocent light peck on the Master’s lips.

The Master’s eyes closed on their own accord and he answered back the kiss before he could attempt to stop himself. Luckily, it ended before the Master could even realise what was happening. He quickly opened back his eyes and stared confused at the Doctor, who simply kept watching him with an uncertain and unreadable expression on his face.  

He brushed his mind against the Doctor’s, asking for any reason his friend could have for his action, but the plain blank on the other side didn’t give the Master much hope.

Not even the Doctor could give a proper answer to his actions, apparently, so they both just stared for some time at one another, not really knowing what to say and just trying to read their friend’s expressions.

Eventually, the Doctor seemed to have reached some kind of conclusion and bent towards the Master to kiss him once again, this time with actual purpose.

The Master froze in surprise at the move, now focused on the situation enough to actually register what was happening and the implications it could have.

It was fine remembering the old times, it was fine having the chance to make peace with the rest of the Deca, it was fine even having the chance to steal precious time with the Doctor, time that he could remember when the whole situation would be over and he was once more alone in his TARDIS.

It wasn’t fine, however, if the Doctor used the arranged trials to gain leverage on him, discovering his actual feelings, or if he intended to go with the flow and just use the Master to navigate the realm of same sex intercourse. It wasn’t fine even if his best friend decided to enter in a relationship with him only because their parents had given them no other option.

Nothing of what this could mean in his head was fine, because Theta had always been a bastard deep inside, and he _could_ do any of the above. It was a probability, of course, but he couldn’t take the risk with the Doctor, the stakes were too high.

He might have been considered old fashioned, but he wished for his Doctor to love him for him, not because he had no other choice or as a part of some social experiment. They were scientists and their home world and friends had universally decided they had to marry, that was true, but the Master put a firm line between where his feelings for the Doctor began and everything else.

Despite what his whole body and mind were screaming, then, he forced himself not to reciprocate the kiss and, when the Doctor attempted to make him open his mouth, he hastily shoved him away.

“I’m sorry” The Doctor was quick to say, looking at everything that wasn‘t the Master, his face a deep ashamed scarlet. “I thought-”

“You thought wrong” The Master sentenced seriously, in order to close the argument. Then, he turned to the opposite side, giving him his back, so that the Doctor couldn’t see how much he hated having to do this.

“Master...” The Doctor tried once more to talk it out, and laid a caring hand on his friend’s shoulder.

The Master, however, didn’t dignify him with a single answer, preferring to take the hand on his shoulder and move it around his waist. In their intricate way of communicating, it meant the harshest ‘ _Shut up and sleep_ ’ one of them could manage.

Glad to notice that at least the Master wasn’t about to leave his bed, the Doctor took it as the hope that their friendship could survive his weak attempt to change their relationship. Therefore, he just held his friend closer and more comfortably in his arms and attempted to sleep, now more confused than ever.   

**T.B.C.**


	6. Brilliantly stupid resolutions and the Rani

When the morning came, the Doctor and the Master headed straight for breakfast at the empty fake canteen, without much more than a polite ‘ _Good morning’_ to their fellow renegade Time Lord. Even that was a concession they had to grudgingly grant to one another, since they had met on the threshold of the bathroom as they took turns to the shower and it would have seemed too weird just stay silent.

The Doctor would have honestly said plenty, but as soon as his eyes met with the Master’s his voice stopped in his throat. Before they were completely dressed, he eventually managed to attempt a few awkward approaches, but none went past the first few syllables or even letters of the sentences he had in mind. It certainly didn’t help that the Master kept belatedly pretending he didn’t notice his friend’s anguish.

Unfortunately for the Doctor, even at breakfast the Master kept ignoring his each and every attempt to explain his behaviour of the night before and, thanks to the early hours Vansell and Jelpax had scheduled for their tests, they had too little time to try working out their issues in any other way or place.

As soon as they entered the fake class, they both snorted at the way in which the electronic desks were positioned at opposite corners of the room. That particular disposition certainly brought back memories, they had to admit it, even though now there wasn’t the rest of their classmates between them to make it look casual.

Not that it was currently needed, considering that they still weren’t back on speaking terms.

Nevertheless, after their friends declared that they could start on their tests, the Doctor couldn’t help to be worried about the Master’s performance and kept stealing surreptitious glances behind himself in his direction to try to understand how it was going. It was hard doing so while attempting to phrase correctly his answers, though, therefore, he eventually decided to fully focus on his test, in order to finish it as quickly as he could.

As soon as he had finished and double-checked the stupid questionnaire, then, he turned to watch attentively the Master, taking note of his ever-so-slight wrinkle to decipher his expression properly. He just hoped to read it better than what he had done the previous night.

Regrettably, as fake as the classroom was, it still was screened for mental contact like any real classroom during tests, reason why he couldn’t do the easiest thing and just ask him directly through telepathy. The whole repertoire of ways to communicate with one another turned out to be unworkable too, since not even those could be used inside an empty class where the only thing their friends would be doing was waiting for them to try cheating.

However, the Doctor was a genius and so was the Master.

Pretending to just be randomly fidgeting as he waited for the given time to end, the Doctor took in his hand his sonic screwdriver and sent a resonating message to the Master’s, hoping that his friend hadn’t modified its settings after helping him with his backache two days before. Promptly, the Master’s screwdriver received the inputs and refracted the signal to the Master’s central nervous system.

The exploratory signal was received loud and clear, and the Master understood rapidly how his friend was attempting to communicate with him. Therefore, with fake nonchalance he took his own sonic screwdriver and hid it inside the left sleeve of his jacket. Once he had reassured himself that Vansell and Jelpax hadn’t noticed their activities, he stared furtively at the Doctor, wondering what the hell he had to tell him that couldn’t wait until the end of the test.

Relieved that his little ploy was working and that Jelpax and Vansell still seemed unaware of it, the Doctor put both his hands and intellect at work. Using a complex code of ultra-waves in which any different wave used held a particular significance to them or had to be considered a single letter or syllable, the fair-haired Time Lord eventually managed to ask his fiancé if he didn’t need help with any question in particular.

It didn’t take too much time for the Master to receive and decode the Doctor’s message, message that left him feeling quite mortified, considering how he had treated his friend the night before and during the whole morning. His first instinct was to lie and answer him that everything was perfect but, considering how weirdly their friends had devised all their tasks, that would just make it appear as if the Doctor hadn’t been able to teach the Master properly.

Somehow, it seemed unfair let the Doctor appear as the one lacking collaboration spirit.

Therefore, the Master at first just pretended to re-read his first page of answers to have the unflawed opportunity to stare arm crossed at nothing in particular, his right hand inside his left sleeve, where he had hidden his screwdriver. The position allowed him to rapidly change ultra-waves and eventually transmit to the Doctor the one question he had been left stuck upon.

Luckily, he didn’t need to look at his screwdriver to know how to modulate frequencies properly.

As soon as he had received the question, also the Doctor affected a detached revising of his own test to send the correct answer back to the Master, who had just enough time to decode it and transcribe it down before Jelpax announced the end of the first test.

With the plain excuse to go and prepare the driving room for the practical part of their exam, Vansell and Jelpax left the two fiancées alone together to discuss their quite evident problems.

“Great way to get around the telepathic screen” The Master offered from the safe distance of his own desk, embarrassment clear in his voice.

“You seemed troubled” The Doctor answered quietly.

It was hard for him to decide the proper choice of topic now that the Master had finally decided to acknowledge his existence. He felt the need to address the misunderstanding they had the night before, but enemies or friends, what he certainly wasn’t willing to give up was the Master’s friendship. That was the reason why he eventually decided to just keep following the easy subject of the last test, even if his whole body screamed to actually explain all his feelings and reasons to the Master, no matter how unwise it would have been.

“You looked like you could use a hand” The Doctor concluded, sounding openly defeat to his own ears.

“I did, indeed” The Master admitted, standing up from his desk to go and sit on the Doctor’s one. “Thank you”

“TARDIS’s trial rooms don’t usually have teachers inside, so you can thank me screaming at me whenever I do something wrong” The Doctor attempted to joke, stealing a quick glance up to the Master, even though his tone plainly lacked the energy it usually held.

“Oh, I will, don’t worry” The Master assured, he himself not managing to sound as quick and charming as usual.

Exhausted the mock topic, a deep silence fell on them.

“Master?" The Doctor attempted to introduce the actual argument they needed to talk about but, before his friend could even give him any sign of acknowledgement, Vansell and Jelpax came back, informing them that the second test was about to begin.

As the Doctor had predicted, none of their friends was going to join them inside the driving room. Officially, because they didn’t want to die and held no trust that the Doctor had learnt his material.

 

* * *

 

True to his fame, the Doctor had risked more than once to make them crash right from the first trial run, but to his defence it usually was because he was too used to his own peculiar and whimsy TARDIS, whilst the driving room was built like a perfectly functional and rational one. The Master, however, was quick each and every time to correct him, easily guessing what the Doctor’s TARDIS would want different and why.

In the end, the virtual travel was so full of accidents that they both forgot that they still weren’t back on speaking terms. They both allowed themselves some leisure and unorthodox manoeuvres, thinking about enjoying the fictitious trip more than to actually show off that the Doctor had finally understood how suddenly he was supposed to turn his levers.

They were so focused on piloting it their way that they didn’t even realise that they were supposed to finish the last landing in a minute.

Too bad that they were far off the intended trajectory. They needed at least three minutes or so to finish the whole procedure and the room had a shut off command that worked independently.

“Great, what are we going to do now?” The Doctor wondered aloud, staring worriedly at the countdown.

“You keep those three levers where they are” The Master informed him, apparently having a clear strategy in mind. “I’ll go for a little trick”

“Weren’t we supposed to coordinate one another?” The Doctor protested, finding himself unusually to the side of who ended up being talked to. “Besides, I’m the one actually being tested here"

“We’ll reach the target planet and then I’ll stop the countdown" The Master explained reluctantly.

He had actually hoped that his friend wouldn’t question his suggestion since he knew that it could really be dangerous, reason why the Doctor’s large and terrified eyes on him as soon as he had described his plan weren’t much unexpected.

“We’ll crash!” The Doctor argued back. “When the countdown stops the whole system shuts down!”

“I’ll reactivate it just before crashing, so you will show off what you’ve learned and pass your test with flying colours” The Master reassured him. “Don’t worry, you keep those levers unmoving for the moment, then show off what you have learned yesterday and everything will be fine”

The Doctor wasn’t much reassured by his words, but followed his instructions all the same.

As soon as the Master had shut down the countdown, the room accurately gave them the impression that they were falling at the highest speed. The levers the Doctor was supposed to keep steady, attempted to move like crazy and was only by sheer will that the Doctor had managed to keep them were and how they were supposed to be.

Only when the main screens to the outside began showing the first bits of the rick solid ground, the Master quickly reactivated the countdown and, with the Doctor’s quick help, managed to force all the procedures required for a safe landing in record time. When the room lightened up in white and the automatic voice determined that they had indeed passed the test doing all three _safe landing_ , the two Time Lords felt their adrenaline level drop and they both crashed on the floor in a wreck of laughers.

When Vansell and Jelpax opened the door to check if they had survived the test drive, they could just stare both disheartened and happy at the outcome of their task. After all, no matter how grievous were their differences, they still were all friends.

“You have better to laugh now, because next in line there’s the Rani” Vansell felt the need to point out briefly, in order to maintain his reputation of the evil power schemer. His voice, however, was lacking of the usual bitterness.

Jelpax just shook his head at his friend before adding “And Drax’s. C’mon, if you’re feeling fine, you might as well eat something before moving on”

Despite Jelpax kind proposition, their stomachs were too queasy to ingest something at the moment, so they took the time they still had left to go back to their room and change from the Prydonian uniforms they were wearing to their signature outfits. The Doctor, in particular, went for a white heavily trimmed shirt with a dark blue velvet jacket.

Not to risk going back to the awkwardness of before, they both decided not to talk more than it was necessary and certainly not to mention the kiss they had shared. When they were finally ready, they didn’t have much to wait before a familiar face appeared. They were both glad to see once again the Doll leading them towards the laboratory in which Drax and the Rani were waiting for them, since it meant that they had one more person present that would certainly make an effort to protect them from the Rani’s schemes.

As soon as they had entered the lab, Drax, who could finally hold both of them tightly now that there weren’t the War Chief and the Monk attempting to stop him, warmly welcomed them.

“I’m so happy it’s finally my turn, we worked hard to make it perfect!” He announced proudly, as he dragged both of them to a complex piece of machinery in the middle of the lab.

“What’s this?” The Doctor asked curiously, voicing the Master’s own thoughts.

“A puzzle!” Drax explained, stealing a glance towards the Rani to check if she wanted to say something before he started explaining the task. Seeing the strangely silent Time Lady just shaking her head in his direction, the enthusiastic Time Lord decided to just keep going with the explanation. “You see, this device needs a last piece to work and you will need to understand by yourself which one it is. We won’t give you the blueprint nor tell you what it is for; you just have your own intellects by your side”

The Doctor and the Master stared at the machine confused, beginning to poke it hesitantly at first. In the meanwhile, Drax walked far from them to join the Rani and the Doll, all three ready to watch how their friends were going to solve the little puzzle.

It seemed an easy task, the easiest up until then, something that was quite strange considering that the Rani was involved. She was the smartest of them all, themselves excluded for obvious reasons, deadly and, worse of all, the one who knew them better. A quick survey of the workings of the piece of machinery they had to finish just confirmed to the Doctor that his own suspicious weren’t just speculative.

“These particular components" He pointed out to Drax, showing him the central area of the device. “Are used to control time and its relations to different temporal coordinates”

“I do know that, of course” Drax confirmed, not really understanding what point the Doctor was attempting to make.

“Drax, you understand nothing of temporal theory” The Master clarified bluntly, having noticed the same thing.

“Well, the Rani helped on that part, it’s a shared task after all” Drax argued back at his friends, snorting at both of them for their lack of trust in his competences.

Both the Doctor and the Master stared worriedly at one another. On one hand, the Doll was there and they both trusted her implicitly, on the other hand, the Rani had put together the device they had to finish. The Doll certainly hadn’t thought about controlling that it was harmless and Drax didn’t know enough of to check for traps even if he had wanted to.

“We really should understand what this is before we do anything else” The Master told the Doctor seriously, staring deeply in his best friend’s eyes.

“It’s impossible to tell beforehand” The Doctor answered him defiantly. “There are four main sub-mechanisms we can identify by the components that were used: time, space, gravity and general control. All four are connected to one another through this central circular void”

“And _there_ is where we are supposed to place the component we are currently missing” The Master anticipated. “Yes, I thought that was the only feasible place myself”

“Exactly” The Doctor confirmed gloomily. “We can’t know what this thing does until we find that piece”

The Master stared at the different components scattered on the table around the uncompleted device, not knowing what to think about them.

“They are not really self-explanatory” He noted, taking the biggest triangular one. “We can safely run out this one, is too big and from the chip intersection it seems just a catalyst”

“This one certainly isn’t the right one either” The Doctor added, examining a small transparent pearl. “It doesn’t seem to have any open connections and it plainly looks like an energy storage”

One after the other, the Master and the Doctor eventually managed to rule out most of the options their friends had left for them, until only three components were left. They set the three of them on a lone side table and stared down at them with attention, one in front of the other, their elbows pinned on the flat surface and their noses barely touching.

“This seems to be a condenser” The Doctor declared, pointing the tip of his laser pen towards an oval shaped greenish piece of machinery.

“This is certainly the positronic core of a Draconian teaser” The Master added, pointing with the tip of a graphite rod to another oval component.

“Then there’s Mister Unknown” The Doctor concluded as he pointed disdainfully at the last plain rectangular element. He kept tormenting his lower lip with his thumb as he thought about any possible use for the piece they were examining, but it really seemed impossible without breaking it apart.

“I think we need to imagine it inside the device at this point” The Master decided, taking the three pieces and going back to stare at the device they had to complete. “Let’s see, what might happen if we put the condenser there?”

He took the greenish ellipsoid in his other hand and let it hover right above the void they had noticed before.

“Well, after you push the start button, the energy will power up the three first blocks that would elaborate the data pre-input” The Doctor imagined as he showed the hypothetical passage of energy inside the machinery with the laser pen and the activated areas with his hands. “Then, those data will be converted in what is needed by the general control section... It is difficult to say how those data will be used, however, unless we break it apart”

“It would work though” The Master pointed out as he put down the greenish component and took the other oval one in his hand, not even bothering to pretend placing it but merely showing it to the Doctor. “We are certain that the positronic core would instead charge the device with a power flow equal and opposite to its own and therefore make the whole device explode”

“Are you sure about this?”

“I _used_ those teasers and I also broke them apart for various reasons”

“So we’re left with the condenser and the unknown device” The Doctor concluded uncertainly.

The Master took the piece of tech in his hands and watched it closely, helping himself with a monocle he had brought with him in case of necessity.

“Say what you wish, Doctor, but I think this is a dead end” The Master decided eventually, his shoulders relaxing visibly.

“What do you mean?” The Doctor asked worriedly, walking to the Master’s side to watch the piece of machinery from his friend’s perspective.

“You see” The Master explained, inclining the component sot that they could see what was inside it though a very small crevice in the metal. “There’s no internal core inside: no strings, no wires, no circuits, no anything that can relay the signal. The data can’t even go through here to the fourth section, much less be transformed”

The Doctor had to admit that the Master was making sense, but there was still something worrying him, a doubt that he physically demonstrated tormenting his lower lip even more, so much that the tip of his thumb almost completely disappeared between his front teeth.   

“Why can’t the metal shield just transmit the signal?” He questioned aloud, not really searching for an answer but just trying to share his frustration with someone else. “I honestly don’t think we should use the condenser, I have a bad feeling about it”

“Me too” The Master agreed dismissively, as he attempted to not let the Doctor’s gesticulation give him another hard on. He eventually took his chance to look back at the Rani, who was watching them like a spider waiting for the flies to fall into her trap.

The Master, then, kept fidgeting with the piece of tech they couldn’t identify until he felt desperate enough to just leave his future in the Doctor’s hands.

“The answer to the puzzle is the condenser: we can fail this or we can get it right, which will it be?” He told him resolutely, definitively putting the Draconian core among the discarded components and holding for the Doctor to choose only the unknown device and the condenser.

“We could ask Drax and the Rani what they are going to do if we fail, like with Vansell. After all is their task" The Doctor offered weakly, not really wanting to decide.

“We’re talking about Ushas, Thete” The Master remembered his friend, using his nickname for better leverage. “We’ll be fucked anyway”

“Then let’s do it properly” The Doctor finally gave up, taking the condenser and placing it on the vacant spot they had noticed at the beginning. It fit perfectly, and even without powering up the device the hollows and the strings attached to it buzzed with pale blue energy.

“We solved the puzzle” The Doctor announced to his friends, knowing that this wouldn’t be enough but attempting it anyway.

“You just need to power it up, now Doctor” The Rani eventually spoke, her smirk charming and unreadable like the one of the Cheshire cat.

The Doctor and the Master looked at one another, swallowed and then the Master pressed his gloved hand on the power button, starting the device. As it acquired more and power, the laboratory they were in began trembling like under an earthquake.

The Master quickly attempted to push once again the power button, but it seemed completely non-functional now that the machine had been started.

“What’s the meaning of this, Rani?” The Doll was the first to yell to the Rani, as she leaned against the wall for support bringing along also Drax.

“I thought that desperate times called for desperate measures” The Rani said plainly, as she walked quietly towards the Master and the Doctor. She took a remote control from the lapels of her brown and golden dress and showed it to the two fiancées. ”This is the only thing that can stop the device you finished putting together. Here’s the deal: one kiss and I’ll push the off button, you keep on this stubborn charade and in less than fifteen minutes this room will be engulfed in a black hole"

“Rani!” The Doll reprimanded her heatedly. “Blackmail doesn’t work in this kind of situation, you will make everything worse!”

“I know them the best, they say so themselves" The Rani protested, never turning her stare away from her two victims. “And emotional blackmail is the only thing that can work with these two idiots”

“Emotional?” The Doll muttered, understanding only then what was the Rani’s plan.

“You count that I won’t kill the Doctor, do you?” The Master snarled back at the Rani. “You lost the last centuries of our lives, my dear”

“Do it then, Master” The Rani challenged him confidently. “But weight everything well: what’s more important? Your ego or the lives of your friends, including the dear Doctor?”

The Master turned to stare at the Doctor, hoping that at least he could find a solution to the mess that didn’t imply him having to confess his feelings. Much to his surprise, however, the Doctor’s face was quiet and serene like there was nothing life endangering he had to decide about.

“Have you heard what she said?” The Master enquired dubiously, kneeling in front of his friend and grasping tight his upper arms not to risk falling on the floor. “Doctor!”

“I heard her, but I don’t have anything I can chose from. It’s the end” Seeing the shock in the Master’s eyes, the Doctor decided to spell everything out aloud. “I won’t kiss you. Under any circumstances”

“Wait, what?" The Master asked in a shocked whisper, his hearts sinking in his chest as the life-endangering situation that had triggered everything fell back as the least of his problems. “Why?”

“I’m sorry for yesterday” The Doctor finally had the chance to explain clearly. “I misunderstood Doll and Rani’s words and your body language. I thought you could have...”

The Doctor stopped himself and shook his head, unwilling to show his friends any more of his debacle. He was supposed to be strong, brilliant, always on the top, troublemaker... He couldn’t show them how his friends’ tasks had left him just heartbroken and nostalgic, he couldn’t show them how madly in love he was with his best friend and how badly he had been refused.

“I won’t lose my best friend because our friends and our parents made my same mistake” He declared with determination. ”You don’t want me to kiss you because you don’t love me, don’t you? Well, I won’t force myself on you for any reason, that’s why this story ends now"

“Thete, wait” The Master attempted to stop him without much success.

“All I always wanted” The Doctor continued sternly. “Was not to lose your friendship, Koschei. Everything was fine with me, even if we were just enemies. I’m sorry if I allowed myself to hope too much, we can still be like we were, just... I can’t kiss you randomly, I never could”

“What the hell are you saying?” The Master snapped eventually. “You noticed I crushed on you, didn’t you? You bloody knew it from the very beginning!”

The Doctor just nodded silently and bit hard his lower lip to force himself to keep at least a bit of dignity.

“Why you said nothing?” The Master pleaded. “All these years-”

“I didn’t want you to use my feelings for you against me, that’s why I never allowed mine to become anything more than just friendship. And our current predicament proves that I was right since you eventually refused me” The Doctor explained the best he could. “You have already a lot of leverage on me just being friends and, if we did anything, I would have done it for love, not to be used as you discover the realm of same sex intercourse”

“And now, considering our current predicament” The Doctor continued, sounding much more firm and resolute than before. “I’m certainly not going to kiss you just to make our parents, our planet or the Rani happy. I won’t put my feelings into play just for them to be completely crushed by your whims. I might be a bastard, Koschei, but Rassilon help me if you aren’t even worse!”

Not really sure what he was supposed to answer to all that, the Master eventually just started laughing maniacally in front of the Doctor’s bewildered stare. He lost count of the minutes passing, and stopped laughing only when eventually his throat constricted and warm tears began falling down his tanned cheeks.

“Kos?” The Doctor asked worriedly, seeing his friend’s breaking down. He attempted to reach out for him, but he stopped his hand midway, unsure if his touch would be welcomed or otherwise.

“I love you” The Master admitted eventually, moving his hands to cup his best friend’s face. “I love how brilliantly stupid you are. I feared those same things from you, that’s why I refused you the other night and I never tried a single thing. I love you, Thete”

Tentatively, the Master leaned in to kiss the Doctor, but when he didn’t feel his friend kissing back, he slowly attempted to end it. As soon as he became aware of the Master’s hesitant retreat, however, the Doctor quickly reacted. He cupped the Master’s cheek with one of his hands to hold him in place, while with the other he tried to bring their waists closer together. Only then he finally kissed him back with all he had.

“I love you too, Koschei” The Doctor murmured on his friend’s lips, the moment he permitted themselves to part. “You brilliantly stupid idiot”

The Master allowed himself a smirk before bringing their lips once again together as he attempted to tower over the Doctor to deepen and dominate their kiss even more. The Doctor didn’t need more than a quick flick of tongue against his lower lip to open his mouth to his best friend and allow their tongue to finally meet and dance together.

As the kiss went on, the Doctor eventually ended up sitting on the floor, as the Master knelt up to up the ante, seeing no attempt from his fiancé to actually change the power dynamic.

As their hands started roaming along the familiar lines and muscled of their chests and faces, the Rani decided it was time they all left the two fiancées alone. She deactivated the device the War Chief had lent her and exited quietly the room along with the Doll and Drax who, considering the final results of the whole ordeal, decided to eventually forgive the Rani for her betrayal.

Not that she had asked them, anyway.

**T.B.C.**


	7. For better or for worse

It took them several hours before the Doctor and the Master decided that they had enough of kissing, touching and calling one another names. When they eventually looked around themselves – suddenly remembering that before all that they were just about to be swallowed by a black hole - they could just establish that their friends had already left.

“We must have given them enough material to taunt us for the next millennium" The Doctor stated eventually, leaning against one of the legs of the table on which the dreaded device was now resting completely harmless and bringing the Master lo lean at his side for reciprocate support.

“I don’t really care, we can still kill them all” The Master argued seriously as he rested his head on the Doctor’s chest, the rapid double beat of his hearts sounding like comforting music to his ears.

The Doctor couldn’t stop himself from smiling adoringly at the Master’s first attempt at cuddle in years, even while he made an effort to huff in displeasure at his words.

“They went the extra mile to help us” The fair-haired Time Lord pointed out reproachfully.

“Remember the school motto: don’t trust the Deca" Was the Master’s teasing reply.

The Doctor chuckled at his words and took his chance to take the Master’s chin between his thumb and index finger to make him look up at him and steal a light peck on his lips.

“I didn’t know they made us the school motto” The Doctor teased him back, before turning serious. ”What are we going to do? I hate the idea of following though what our father signed up for us but, for once, they were honestly right"

“Because the initial suggestion didn’t come from them” The Master countered, staring up hesitantly into the Doctor’s clear blue eyes. “I fixed your mind, you know? You don’t need to marry me just to have your freedom back”

“I know that, but I still think that I want to follow through this marriage.” The Doctor offered, every bit as cautious as the Master was. “If you’re fine with this, obviously"

The Master answered him with a wide smirk that summarized well enough how certain his consent was. Glad that they were both of the same idea, the Doctor then took his chance to kiss tenderly his jaw and then his cheek.

“We just need to decide what we are going to do afterwards, then” The Doctor continued, as he kept teasing the Master with small pecks that run up to the corner of his eye and his temple.

“I guess no more killing for me” The Master joked, both happy and annoyed by the Doctor’s teasing kisses. He eventually decided to turn in the Doctor’s arms and straddle his lover, in order to get once again the upper hand and kiss him properly on his lips. “Especially you and your wretched Earth. Your UNIT friends and the rest of the universe should be forever indebted to you for this charitable indulgence”

“Will I have to keep you busy in ways you will inform me about later on or does this come out of the kindness of your hearts?” The Doctor asked provocatively, looking up at the Master bashfully through his eyelashes. “I might be amenable to a bargain, if required”

“It’s neither, my dear, since I’m quite sure that you won’t have to be nothing different from yourself to keep me well occupied” The Master teased back as he encircled the Doctor’s neck with his arms and rested his forehead against the Doctor’s, his eyes never leaving his friend’s. “Any bargain you are willing to offer, however, will be well received”

“Greedy, aren’t you?” The Doctor observed, his eyes completely lost in the Master’s, as he attempted to reach up for the Master’s lips.

“Well, you know me” The Master admitted gallantly, moving slightly backwards to escape the Doctor’s kiss and prolong his agony. “But you are even greedier than me. What will you ask of me aside my good behaviour, I wonder”

“I want you” The Doctor pleaded, pouting at his fiancé’s annoying little attempts to torment him.

The Master smirked evilly at the Doctor as an answer and then lowered his head just enough to nibble his friend’s lower lip, before compliantly let his tongue touch the Doctor’s. The fair-haired Time Lord offered readily his mouth to the Master and the playful kiss turned deeper, as they took their time to simply savour one another.

“This is more a prize for me, though” The Master argued almost out of breath, as they finally decided to part. “Nothing more to ask?” 

“Actually” The Doctor finally confessed. “I don’t really want them to know it, but UNIT has been kind to me when I was stranded. I wouldn’t really mind keep helping them sometimes, between one adventure in deeps space and the other"

“We have two functioning time machines, I don’t see where’s the problem" The Master reassured him, his eyes still staring at the Doctor’s as he lightly and slowly kept caressing his cheek and then his jaw, enjoying the feeling of the Doctor’s almost inexistent stubble. “Besides, they weren’t bad to me too, considering what I’ve done to them”

“About that” The Doctor took his chance to point out mischievously, smirking evilly at his fiancé. “You _really_ did all that only to catch my attention”

“Indeed” The Master confirmed proudly, smirking back at him even if his cheeks slightly coloured in embarrassment. “It eventually brought me where I wanted, though, didn’t it?”  

“I hated it when they told me you were on Earth" The Doctor admitted, averting his eyes from the Master as his hands moved to grip his friend’s hips, both to prevent him from moving and to fidget with the corners of the Master’s dark jacket. “But all the little riddles you left me to solve, the challenges, even the threats and the attempts of murder... It’s mental, but they made me as happy as if you had left me chocolate and sonnets of Shakespeare”

Hearing the Doctor’s heartfelt confession, the Master burst in laughter and then he let his forehead rest once again on the Doctor’s as he managed to make him stare back at him.

“We’re both made wrong, aren’t we?" He barely whispered, his voice warm and adoring.

“Maybe that’s why the universe collectively decided that we were perfect for one another" The Doctor offered, still completely ill at ease.

“They were lucky” The Master concluded, leaving a last peck on the Doctor’s lips before finally standing up. “Let’s face our friends before we confront our parents, I bet that the good news already spread”

He offered his hand to the Doctor to help him up and this time the Doctor accepted it without reservations. As soon as also the Doctor was back on his feet, they both went straight to the Doll’s office. As predicted, the rest of the Deca was waiting for them, everyone curious to learn the full news from their friends.

“Theta, Koschei!” Millennia welcomed them with a smile. “I’m really sorry for what happened. Even though I have to say that I’m quite impressed by the results, it was something unforgivable to do to the two of you”

“It’s fine, Millennia, really.” The Master offered, knowing that most of the Doll’s worries were for his particular condition. “We knew that the Rani would not play fair… If she did, she would be an entirely different person and not our Rani”

The Rani at first just smirked back at the Master, but then took a few steps forwards to actually join her friends and hug them tightly.

“I wouldn’t have to resort to dubious methods, if you guys stopped overthinking everything you do” She complained, staring reproachfully at them.

“I don’t overthink things, usually” The Doctor pointed out, making most of his friends – including the Rani – to roll their eyes at his statement.

“How imprecise of me” The Rani drawled. “Let’s say that the Master overthinks things, while you, on the other hand, refuse to think at all. In general and about your relationship”

The Doctor pouted at the Rani, whilst the Master and all the rest of the Deca laughed heartedly at the Rani’s words.

“However, we think we owe all you guys an apology and also our endless gratitude” The Doctor admitted eventually, when everyone had stopped laughing at his expenses, smiling sheepishly at his group. “You were right, we were just messing with each other’s mind”

“The worst was yours, Thete" Rallon teased him friendly as he walked towards him to embrace him tightly. “Koschei’s mind was already fucked up from the beginning. Congratulations, guys"

“Thank you, Rallon” The Doctor told him, stifling a chuckle. “How are you?"

“It’s still difficult, but it’s getting better" He answered him proudly. “Millennia and I might take our leave from Gallifrey for a while as soon as I’m fully recovered. I think I’ve also found out a decent name for me, you know? Mortimus helped me with it"

“The Real Toymaker?” The Master asked jokingly, as he too accepted Rallon’s hug and his congratulations.

“I thought something about the line of the Game Master” Rallon countered, smirking challengingly at the Master. “So you won’t feel all alone in this universe”

The Rani’s and Rallon’s jokes were enough to create a warm and friendly aura that erased momentarily all the divergencies the Deca members still held among themselves.  After the first round of hugs and congratulations ended, the Monk even brought back from his finally repaired TARDIS something fancy to eat and drink, quickly transforming the impromptu celebration in some kind of stag night.

And they had certainly felt the need for one, since the wedding arrangements had already progressed behind their backs and far beyond their reach.

While they the Master and the Doctor were busy talking inside the lab, in facts, their parents had asked their friends how the Deca’s attempts to reconcile the two renegade Time Lords was going. Despite their combined efforts not to make the progress seem overly certain, the two older Time Lords eventually discovered not only Vansell’s photos – over which the whole group had been idly chatting when they had been interrupted – but also the laboratory CCTV.

As soon as they got the good news, the two fathers had promptly decided that they could push their sons through the marriage without wasting any more time and set to prepare everything to have a proper high-class wedding ceremony the day after.

Before beginning the small party, every other member of the Deca had offered their resources and intellects to help them escape, if they still had their mind on it. They just wanted their friends to be happy, seconding the Council’s resolution was really just an excuse to abuse the money and the assets of their home planet.

Despite being extremely grateful for their friends’ display of camaraderie, the two fiancées eventually reassured them that, all things considered, the wedding was fine with them and it wouldn’t kill them admitting that their parents were right for once. Probably.

They changed their minds about how much fine they were with their parents’ idea, when the day after they fathers entered their room just before second sunrise and urged them to dress up with the overly rigid robes they had prepared for them and get ready for the ceremony,

The extreme rush about something that theoretically was supposed to be _their_ romantic moment unnerved them a little, but they both had to admit that the earlier they got married the earlier they were going to get their freedom back. And freedom they yearned for, since not only they’d had to follow the orders of other people for three whole days, but also, between the stag party and their parent’s interference, they had still done nothing more than just making out.

Some kisses and light caresses weren’t certainly enough after years of pure UST between them: they just wished to have back their TARDISes as soon as possible, hide away on some deserted planet and simply take their time exploring one another in what was, even for them, a completely new way.

Much to their discomfort, they learned that after the official ceremony there was also supposed to be a reception… by an artificial lake. Even though choosing such an unorthodox location had come from the Doctor’s family and approved by the Master’s, both Time Lords came to the conclusion not only that the place was one of the few decent things that had been scheduled for their wedding, but also that it was sincerely amazing that such a nice place was allowed to exist on dull Gallifrey.

The small lake wasn‘t, however, the only joy that the Doctor and the Master had at the too long and formal reception, since they had also the satisfactory chance to witness to the first fight their fathers had as inlaws. All things considered, this whole project of doing damage control making them marry seemed to be more a way to punish their families to have done nothing about them during these late years than an incentive to make them behave.

The thought made their wedding ceremony and reception even better.

While they waited for their TARDISes to be brought back from Earth, the Master and the Doctor even decided to take a romantic walk around the lake. No one noticed the absence of the spouses or their improper behaviour, not even when they came back from their walk dishevelled and with their high-collared outer-robes completely askew.

Having established that not even a blowjob – courtesy of the Master to the Doctor - was enough to help them survive the unnerving formalities, as soon as it was announced that their TARDISes had been brought back successfully on the planet, they hastened to say their goodbyes. Before their respective families could even realise their quick departure, the managed to nestle the Doctor’s TARDIS inside the Master’s and headed for the most remote and quiet place they knew about, not many galaxies away from the Earth.

When they finally landed, they simply stared at one another from the opposite sides of the TARDIS console.

“Alone, at least" The Doctor offered, intending to break the silence before it dawned on them.

“I would say _together_ , at least" the Master corrected, with a happy smirk in his direction.

The Doctor grinned back at his husband and walked half around the console to meet the Master on the other side.

“All things considered, I'm glad it all finished rather quickly" The Doctor told him, worrying the hems of the Master's  outer robe just to do something with his hands. How the hell they were supposed to go on from where they were now was everybody’s guess. “You do look strange with these kind of clothes, they lack your personality”

“We still have a rather interesting discussion about clothing to finish” the Master reminded the Doctor, staring hopelessly back at him. “It could turn out bad, though, since you really look good no matter what you put on, even in formal marriage robes”

“Indeed, it might" The Doctor took his chance to confess. “Because I find you cute even in your night attire"

His deft fingers moved up from the lapels of the outer robe to the shoulders, in order to help the Master to shrug it away, and then put it on a nearby chair.

The Master did the same for the Doctor, but forestalled any other initiative he might have intended to make taking his hand in his.

“Even though I would have preferred deadly cool and not cute” He announced tentatively, his voice trembling with anticipation. “I still have a perfectly proper bedroom"

The Doctor’s mind quickly supplied a long series of possible comebacks to the Master’s proposition, but he found himself too overwhelmed by the situation himself to attempt any of them. Therefore, he hesitantly leaned over to kiss him chastely on his lips and then simply nodded, allowing the Master to lead him to his bedroom.

Much to the Doctor’s surprise, when he entered the Master’s bedroom he noticed that some of the things there and part of the furniture arrangement reminded him of his own in his TARDIS.

“Did you download the matrix of my room?” He asked plainly, as he attempted to work out similarities and differences of the two rooms.

“We never discussed the living arrangements, so I asked our TARDISes to be creative on their own” The Master admitted, not at all displeased by the solution their girls had come out with. “Seems fine for a first attempt”

“Do you want to try it out already?” The Doctor offered with fake nonchalance, allowing his arms to encircle the Master’s waist and bring him closer.

“Are you proposing me?” The Master answered him, pretending to be shocked by the proposition. “I’m a married man now”

The Doctor allowed himself a chuckle and then kissed his husband on his temple, tightening his grip on him.

“I’m pretty much aware of that” He countered shyly, as he took the Master’s hand and led him towards the large double bed in the middle of the room.

The Master followed him suit and sat down next to the Doctor on the edge of the bed. Then, he let one of his hands grab firmly the side of his husband’s neck, to lead him down towards him and place a gentle kiss on his lips.

“You don’t have the faintest idea how many times I wished for you to be like this in my room" The Master admitted unsurely. “If I were a proper man I would be indebted forever to the Council, our families and our friends for helping me to take this chance to be with you”

“I’m glad you’re not, then” The Doctor teased with mirth. “Feeling indebted to them might as well ruin us.  I will admit, though, that I gave to this particular arrangement quite some consideration as well during the last hundreds years or so”

“And you left me waiting all this time?” The Master countered, rising a mocking eyebrow in the Doctor’s direction. He then laid down on the mattress, pulling the Doctor’s sleeve to make him follow his lead and rest at his side. He might have intended to look sexy and suave as he usually did, but to the Doctor’s trained eyes he seemed more unsure and scared than anything else. “You have quite a lot to amend, then”

The Doctor followed the Master’s not so subtle leading and moved to straddle the Master’s compact frame with both his hands and knees. The Master moved himself a bit more upwards, towards the centre of the bed, so that his head was once again level with the Doctor’s and he could kiss his husband properly.

Their tongues met halfway, moving and teasing one another in a maddening dance that soon left both Time Lord hard and desperate for more.

“You have a lot to amend too” The Doctor pointed out breathlessly, as he broke the kiss and allowed himself to lean fully over the Master. “Am I hurting you?”

“I might be shorter, but I’m not weak. You do know that, right?” The Master countered annoyed, taking his chance to caress the Doctor’s sides with the tip of his fingers before grasping tightly his hips to make their groins grind tantalisingly against one another. They both allowed themselves a choked moan at the new sensation, but it only made the Master decide to put more efforts into it. “Sex is all about contact and I need it... I need this”

A quiet whimper escaped eventually the Master’s lips: it felt so good that he didn’t wish to stop now that they were doing that, no matter if his whole mind screamed at him that they had waited way too much to just be satisfied with something that wasn’t full intercourse.

It might have been just a matter of principle, though, because his whole body on the other hand seemed completely satisfied with any way he could get the Doctor, now that he could actually have him in his life and in his bed.

Therefore, it was the Doctor the one that eventually gathered enough willpower to kindly put one of his hands on the Master’s, indicating him to stop.

“I don’t want to sound ungrateful, old chap” The Doctor managed to say, despite his ragged breathing. “But as you do already know, gallifreian clothes are not really the best for fooling around, much less if we intend to take things a bit forwards”

“I _do_ know, indeed” The Master agreed playfully, allowing the Doctor to sit up so that they both could free themselves from their tunics and pants. “I seem to gather that you’re quite eager to consume our marriage, my dear Doctor, am I correct?”

“You should really stop teasing and get on with it" The Doctor countered passionately, knowing too well that the Master couldn’t be trusted to be straight-forward in basically anything. Dressed in only a pair of brownish red striped boxers, the Doctor then moved back to the Master’s side, ready to help his husband out of his own clothes if necessary.

All what they had been until then was crumbling, touch after touch, kiss after kiss and piece of clothing after piece of clothing.

“If you had such a desire for me, my dear, you could have act first” The Master objected as the Doctor let their clothes pile up on the floor and took his chance to steal some furtive caresses on his tanned skin.

Not at all certain that he was fine with the speed at which the things between them were changing, the Master however could only avert his eyes to conceal his discomfort.

They might have been husbands for a couple of hours, but they had been friends their whole life, so it didn’t come as a surprise when, as soon as the Master too was dressed in only his undergarments, the first thing the Doctor did was to simply hold his friend tight in his arms.

“Are you sure you’re fine?” The Doctor whispered in his ear, his hand caressing his husband’s upper arm to comfort him. “We can stop anytime”

“Why would _I_ want to stop” The Master countered in a single breath, still grateful for the small break.

“Any reason is a good one” The Doctor pointed out, his caressing hand idly moving up to entangle itself in the Master’s tussled hair. “We really must rewrite everything we were before today. If you want to take it slowly, I do understand. We’re Time Lords, we walk in eternity”

“Don’t be unreasonable, Doctor” The Master countered annoyed. “I waited for years for the chance to have you in my bed"

“Still, the fact that you never tried anything means you weren’t ready for the consequences” The Doctor reasoned quietly, shifting the Master in his arms so that his head was on his chest and he could hear both his hearts beating fast. “Millennia told me to keep an eye out for you, considering the emotional blackmail of the Rani and the rush our parents put in getting us married”

“I might need time to adjust to everything, I admit it” The Master agreed, sincerely enjoying the cuddling and the Doctor’s reassuring heartbeats. “But not to make love to you, Doctor. I’ll be fine”

He turned up his head to stare deeply into the Doctor’s eyes so that his friend could see how serious he was. The Doctor, after some moments of thinking, bent over his husband to capture his lips with his owns.

It was sweet, calm and unrushed, giving both of them enough time to adjust to a completely new level of perceiving one another. Oh so slowly, the Doctor moved even more over the Master, his body flushed against his husband’s. Now they could feel one another stronger and better, the maddening feeling of skin against skin made them wish they had already forego also their undergarments.

The Doctor deepened the kiss, allowing his tongue a small perusal of the Master’s hot cavern before he allowed the Master to take once again the lead of their kiss. The Doctor’s arms were busy sustaining him just enough that he wouldn’t crush his lover beneath him, so the Master took his chance to explore the body of the Time Lord he had admired from afar for all those years.

He had loved deeply the Doctor’s first body, so lithe and flexible to look to him like a Zentoran space civet. He hadn’t seen much of his second incarnation, but the few times he did, he had liked the odd sensation of finally getting to see him eye-level as much as the peculiar effect his too large clothing made on him. He hadn’t had the chance to see him unclothed, since he had shared his life and his room with Theta, but he really couldn’t provide any chance to convince the Doctor’s second incarnation to let him peek under all those shabby clothing.

Feasting his eyes on the Doctor’s current third body, in comparison, had been an easy task. Feeling no shame in front of his friend and being the damn show off Theta had always been, it barely took the Master a bit of water or a warmer temperature inside the room he would trap the Doctor in, to make his beloved shed some of his clothes. Clothes that were never shabby or too big, but perfectly tailored to suit impeccably his broad chest and shoulders and his perfect ass.

No wonder that the fleeting idea of just come to say hello to the Doctor stuck on Earth had become a decision to stay there permanently and pretend that a third rate star actually meant something to him. Thanks to that, even before now, he had already memorised all the details of the Doctor’s body by heart.

Still, he never really had the chance to _feel_ properly how soft his skin was under his hands, how firm his muscles were, the artistic flawlessness of the regular swells and depths that chiselled his chest. He never had the chance to feel the Doctor’s delicate nipples under his fingers slowly turning hard thanks to his attentive ministrations.

When he was satisfied with mapping the Doctor’s chest, he took his chance to move upwards to his shoulders and then down to his shoulder blades and tantalising back, enjoying with leisure the whole of it.

The Doctor at first just focused on kissing the Master thoroughly, but then even he felt difficulties in continuing to do just that, considering how methodical and attentive his lover’s hands were on him. Therefore, he moved to kiss, lick and mouth the Master’s neck and then he moved on, up to his jaw and earlobes.

He took particular pleasure in tormenting the first line of soft skin under his chin, right where the beard started, and then harder shell of the Master’s ears. Even if he had fewer chances to move, considering his position, he could say he was completely satisfied with the results of his teasing when he felt the Master ultimately moaning aloud without restrictions, and his groin swell against his tight.

Eventually, the Doctor moved slightly off the Master, so that could use freely his hands without putting all his weight on the Master. As the caresses became mutual, they also grew more urgent.

“Doctor, can I?” The Master asked eventually, brushing lightly the palm of his hand against the bulge of the Doctor’s trunks.

As an answer, the Doctor took his mouth in a last deep kiss and then led the Master’s teasing hand to the hem of his boxers, to feel the hardened skin beneath them before he helped him taking them off. With a couple of goofy moves, both of them were quickly free of the unnecessary piece of clothing. As the Master led the Doctor once again to lie over him, he managed it so that their cocks could finally brush against one another.

Reassured that the pace they were keeping was now slow enough not to risk scaring the Master out of his mind, the Doctor stood back on all fours, his knees now only straddling one of the Master’s legs, as he stretched over to open one of the bedside tables. Luckily enough, the two TARDISes had decided to copy even the lube location from the Doctor’s bedroom.

The Master observed with an interested smirk the Doctor’s endeavours and was ready to take the lube in his hands as soon as the Doctor gave it to him.

“Strawberry, my dear?” The Master mocked him, earning the Doctor’s goofy smile and a kiss for his trouble.

“You can’t really get Alederian flowers on Earth, my love”

The Master felt both his hearts stop in his chest hearing the Doctor calling him love. A bit more than twelve hours to adjust to the idea the Doctor actually loved him weren’t apparently enough, not even for him.

“I don’t mind strawberry” Was the only thing with a bit of sense that the Master was able to get out of his mouth, before he closed his arms around the Doctor’s neck to bring him down towards him, so that he could kiss him once again.

As his mouth was busy distracting the Doctor, the Master took his chance to open the tube of lube and actually squeeze a decent amount of gel on his hand. Then, with one hand, he took a firm grip of the Doctor’s hip and with the other began stroking gently the Doctor’s cock.

When he felt the pre-cum starting to leak from the Doctor’s hardened member, he squeezed more gel on both his hands and resumed working on his lover’s cock with one hand as he tentatively began opening him up with the other. He worked on the Doctor as gently as he could manage, analysing with apprehension the details of his expression to identify any kind of pain or any excess of pleasure.

He distantly thought that he was being utterly ridiculous, since he was acting almost as if he was a virgin with no idea of how and what he should do, something that he certainly wasn’t. It was his first time with his Doctor, though, and that made him more scared to mess something up than if this had been his actual first experience.

Time for the Master to get the Doctor loose enough that this would not hurt, and the Doctor was already trembling in pure pleasure and frustration. He had eventually lowered his upper chest against the Master’s, hiding his face in the crook of his neck, his moans muffled only by the fluffy blanket under them.

“Doctor?” The Master called eventually, shaking slightly his shoulder to have the Doctor’s full attention on him. “Thete, please”

“Hn?" The Doctor managed to mutter, barely managing to turn his head towards the Master.

“Can I- I mean....” The Master tried to ask. “Is it all right if we go on? Will you be fine?”

“Please, Kos" Was the best the Doctor could manage to say, before gathering all his remaining willpower to straddle both of the Master’s legs.

The Master took his invitation and grabbed his hips tightly to guide his lover to properly angle himself over his erection. He took a moment to coat himself with an obscene amount of lubricant, and then urged his husband to lower himself on him.

Both of them moaned at the penetration and attempted to keep still as much as they could. It didn’t take the Doctor a lot of time to get used to the new feeling, though, so he soon started moving slowly, in a weak attempt to create some sort of rhythm good for the both of them.

As the Doctor loosened enough that the Master could move without the fear of hurting him, he too began assisting his husband thrusting vigorously inside of him as much as grounding his hips to ease their movements.

What at the beginning had been a messy attempt to make two different paces and strengths to coexist, slowly became a perfect series of movements well-coordinated between them, as the different paces and drives evened out and became something that both of them could follow.

They could only hope that eventually their lives could mingle the same way and with the same easiness they body did.

As their rhythm grew more frantic, the Master took his chance to grab the Doctor’s hard cock with his still sticky hand. He did his best to match the time of their thrusts, but eventually had to give up, since his mind was far too unfocused to attempt something so complex. It was the first time his brain felt like it had completely become mush during sex, a sensation utterly foreign to someone who praised himself for his own genius.

The Doctor, on his hand, gone as far as the Master was, didn’t really seem to mind the difference in paces, and moaned satisfactorily at the additional stimulation.  

Desperate for one another as they were, it didn’t take them much to come, the Doctor eventually releasing his seed over the Master’s abdomen and then crushing over his husband with his full weight. The Master lasted only few more thrusts before grasping tightly his lover’s waist and biting hardly his shoulder as he came inside of him.

It was only after the Doctor had properly caught his breath that he realised where and how he had fallen over, and did his best to move at least slightly to the side, encountering however the Master‘s resistance in doing so.

“Master, I really need to-” The Doctor argued, his voice laced with worry.

“Just lie here some more” The Master moaned instead in what was almost an utterly satisfied purr. “You’re quite comfortable...”

The Doctor couldn’t help but stifle a laugh as he held his husband tighter in his arms.

“You really _do_ love me crushing you” He pointed out utterly amused, his smile growing larger by the second.

“Yeah, I do have a certain masochistic side that now need to be feed in ways different from the usual _allowing you to utterly defeat me_ " The Master deadpanned, licking and biting the length of the Doctor’s neck in pure contentment.

“Well, as friends, enemies or husbands, you know that I've always been and I will always be here for you, don’t you?” The Doctor whispered adoringly in the Master’s ear. “I can be everything you need, your nemesis as well as your paperweight”

“I’ve always knew that deep inside, Doctor” The Master admitted fondly. “Because I also have always been and I’ll always be here for you, my dear. For better or for worse, what’s important is that we are together”

The Doctor smiled softly at the Master’s words and shifted them both so that he was resting on his back and the Master was laying comfortably half on his chest and half on the bed. Then he moved the duvet over them and tightened his hold on him, in a way that wasn’t much different from what they were used to when they were younger.

Not much time passed that their breathings quietly slowed down and both Time Lords fell deeply asleep in each other’s arms.

It really didn’t matter if they laid together as friends, enemies or lovers, they held on the firm notion that there would be only one fixed constant in the complicate system that represented the two of them: the fact they were destined to be there for one another. For better or for worse.

At the end of it all, their lives had not really changed all that much.

**The End**


End file.
